


Two Fold

by KatsInSpace



Category: Chuck (TV), White Collar
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, M/M, Minor Elizabeth Burke/Peter Burke/Neal Caffrey, but it focuses more on the peter/neal part
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2017-05-22
Packaged: 2018-04-28 03:04:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 47
Words: 40,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5075356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatsInSpace/pseuds/KatsInSpace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With his twin, Bryce, recently passing away, Neal has to now deal with his death right in the middle of being on the run from the FBI.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> In Chuck!verse, it's right where Bryce's funeral is in, season 1. And in White Collar!verse, it's pre!show. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

There were rare times for the twins to actually meet up. Due to their very different lives they couldn't be seen together. Nor did anyone in each of the twin's lives knew of the other's existence.

Ellen had told them the truth about their father so they decided to leave. Neal took on the life of crime as Neal Caffrey while Bryce took the life of a spy as Bryce Larkin. Bryce wasn't supposed to talk about it but had told Neal since they were the only ones left in each other's lives that they could trust.

Eventually, Neal had found two people, who went by the names Mozzie and Kate. Bryce too. He found someone named Chuck.

Until he hadn't.

They were just shy of twenty one when they had one of their meet ups. Neal managed to get a hotel room with one of his aliases when Bryce decided that he needed to “forget.” So he swiped that ID card from him and bought a lot of alcohol.

Bryce never said anything until he could be considered drunk.

“Chuck, I-”

Neal rose an eyebrow at his brother when he slurred those words. He eyed the position Bryce was in. He was slumped over on the chair, with about five empty bottles of beer, and a half-full one in his hand.

“Chuck?” Neal questions.

Both had brought up someone that they cared for in a previous conversation of their's. Kate had been his and Chuck had been Bryce's.

“Did something happen?” Neal continues.

“He uh,” Bryce starts, still stumbling over his words. “I had-” Bryce took in a deep breath before continuing. “I had to do it,” Bryce says finally. “I had to do it Neal,” he repeats.

“Had to do what?” Neal was curious as to what was making Bryce break down like this. “What did you have to do?”

“They would've made him a spy, Neal,” Bryce explains. “And that would've destroyed who he was,” he sounded as if he was tearing up.

“What did you do?” Neal repeats.

“I got him kicked out,” Bryce takes another gulp of his drink, slamming the bottle back onto the table. Neal on the other hand, had just been sipping his wine, slightly disgusted at his brother's tastes. “I got him expelled from Stanford. He hates me,” Bryce took another shaky breath. “Chuck hates me now, Neal.”

Neal sighed and got up from his seat on the bed. He sets down the wine bottle and pulls up a chair to sit next to him. He rubs him on the back in comfort. “You had a good reason for it, Bryce.”

Bryce sighed.

Neal hadn't known the extent Bryce had loved Chuck, but with him breaking down like that, he knew now how much Bryce loves Chuck. It must have been tough knowing that the person you love would hate you for something that they don't know is actually helping them. Neal still had someone, but Bryce didn't.

“But he didn't know that,” Bryce mumbles into his arm after slamming his head down.

“You told me that you'd do anything for him,” Neal starts after a few minutes. “If you thought it would be best for him, it most likely is.” When Bryce doesn't say anything, he continues. “If he knew why you did it, he'd forgive you. And he'd know how much you cared for him,” Neal hesitates. “And maybe he'd feel the same.” Neal didn't want to say those last words, but he was never really good at comfort. _Actual_ comfort and not the BS he usually tells people.

 

When Bryce still doesn't say anything, Neal looks down at his face. He sighs when he realizes that Bryce was asleep. And most likely had been for quite awhile. 


	2. Chuck 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse, it's right where Bryce's funeral is in, season 1. And in White Collar!verse, it's pre!show. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

Chuck stood back from the main group that is viewing Bryce's funeral. He hadn't seen him or heard from him in five years, besides the whole Intersect thing, and yet, Chuck felt obligated to go to his funeral. The last time he had seen Bryce was when Chuck left Stanford. That was when Bryce had betrayed him by getting him kicked out. He didn't even know why Bryce had done that, Chuck thought they were friends.

Worse yet, is that Chuck couldn't bare to hate him any longer. Despite the horrible thing he did, all Chuck could think about was the good times they had. He was conflicted.

Chuck wanted him back but was also glad he was gone for good.

No more life-ruining for Chuck.

Chuck was alone at the funeral. Sarah had been there for a little while but didn't stand with him. Chuck didn't know where Casey was, and both Morgan and Ellie didn't like Bryce. Nor did Awesome but he had only heard stories of him, he wasn't actually there.

Chuck took in a deep, shaky breath as he sees them lower Bryce's casket into the ground. Before that, he wasn't able to fully comprehend what has happening, still denying it. But when each person started to pile more and more dirt onto his coffin, that's when it really it him. The full force of the situation came upon him and Chuck felt a wave of emptiness.

Chuck felt his throat tighten. His jaw clenched, hands tightly grasping at his pants to hold back tears.

Even after most of everyone at the funeral left, Chuck decided to stay back. He didn't know what urged him to, but he did. And he still lingered when it was but a few people there.

Chuck approached Bryce's tombstone, the dirt piled and smoothed over his coffin. He wanted to say something but he just didn't know what to say. He just stared at the inscription.

**Bryce Larkin**

**March 21, 1981-September 23, 2007(1)**

**A Great Man Who Will Always be In Our Hearts**

September 18, the day Chuck was born. The day he got the intersect. The real day Bryce died.

“It was nice knowing you Bryce,” Chuck mumbles, voice dripping with guilt.

When Chuck turns away and starts to take his first steps away from the tombstone, he feels a great weight pressing on his shoulders. He wanted to stop. He wanted to turn back and just stay there with Bryce.

So he does.

But only for a moment.

And then he looks forward again. Chuck had been at the treeline, many yards away from his tombstone. He was too far to see any details. But he still goes over the view he had seen when he had turned.

And he stops.

Chuck snaps his head back, a little dismayed.

A breath of disappointment comes out. Chuck could have sworn he had seen someone standing there just a moment ago. One with dark, wavy hair like Bryce and had worn a well-kept suit. The suit looked a bit fancier than expected.

 

Chuck curses at his mind for playing tricks on him. ' _I must be missing him more than I thought, if I actually though he was there._ ' Chuck shakes his head, forcing himself to snap out of it and turn away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> I was supposed to update three times this week so I'm uploading two times today.  
> (1)-I used Neal's birthday and Bryce's birth year


	3. Neal 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse, it's right where Bryce's funeral is in, season 1. And in White Collar!verse, it's pre!show. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

Neal had been right in the middle of relocation when he found out what had happened. He always frequently checks up on his brother, Bryce, who does the same to him, to ensure that the other is safe and well. Neal was with Mozzie at the airport, waiting for their plane to arrive when he was using one of the internet cafes nearby.

**Bank Executive Dies in Robbery By Marvin Mancia.**

All that Neal could do was just stare at his brother's photo that blankly stared back. His hand tightly gripped the mouse, making the cursor on the screen shake. Neal forced himself to stay calm, which was extremely difficult considering the news right in front him.

If he were in Burbank, California, where the newspaper was written, the date would be today-

Neal exits the browser, rushing back to where Mozzie was waiting for him.

-and they were holding a funeral the next day.

“ _Are you insane?”_ Mozzie had whispered to him harshly when Neal told him of his plans. _“That is a_ horrible _idea!”_ Neal hadn't told him why he was going. No one in his life as Neal Caffrey, not even Kate, knew about Bryce. And considering his profession, both Neal and Bryce's, he couldn't tell them, not even now. Which didn't matter anyway, Kate had dumped him a few years ago. And he wasn't able to go after her, something about Mozzie saying it was too risky. _“We take_ months _of planning when we go somewhere. We don't just_ go. _”_

Mozzie was right and Neal knew it.

But it didn't stop him. Neal _had_ to go to Bryce's funeral.

A few days ago, Neal had woken up violently and was unable to get back to sleep. At the time, he didn't know why he had a horrible feeling and now he knew. It was because Bryce was dead.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Neal went under the alias George Danvary, a business man. He hadn't bothered to check if the alias had been burned or not. He had no time to. And he couldn't just switch the plane ticket last minute and use the same alias Mozzie had planned for him to use, it would catch too much attention. He needed to get to Burbank as quickly as possible if he wanted to make it to Bryce's funeral.

Neal had told Mozzie that he'd meet him at New York after he did what he did and booked himself a hotel for two days in Burbank. He couldn't stay long but staying only one day would be weird for someone with a suitcase like his.

Neal managed to make the funeral on time.

But because Neal and Bryce were twins, he kept to himself until everyone left. He couldn't allow for anyone to mistake him for Bryce nor could he reveal his location.

For the entirety of the funeral, he held his emotions in. Forcing himself to direct his emotions somewhere else, like the crowd who appeared for Bryce.

Neal wondered if they all knew him truly or were just CIA agents to fill in for him to make the funeral not seem weird. Although, three people stood to the back, at the treeline. Two men and one woman. The woman was blonde and Neal had a feeling that she was an agent. She left quite early. There was brown-haired man whose presence just screamed military. He hid himself quite well and he didn't seem to care about the funeral. He most likely was an agent.

And then there was a brown, curly-haired guy. Unlike the other man, he looked truly sad that Bryce was dead. He stared emptily at Bryce's closed-coffin.

Neal had thought that was weird. Normally that only happened if the family requested it or if it was too gruesome to show. And as Bryce Larkin, he had no family. And he supposedly died in a bank robbery, it couldn't be that bad. So Neal suspected that something else was going on. Especially because Bryce had told him that being a Bank Executive was just his cover.

Neal waited until after everyone left to approach Bryce's tombstone. The curly-haired man and military man stayed back too, so he had to wait for them. And the military man only left when the curly-haired man did.

Neal was finally alone and walked up to Bryce's burial site. “You're not actually in there, are you?” Neal questioned aloud. He didn't want to keep his hopes up but it just didn't make sense. He hoped that Bryce wasn't actually dead and that it was just an empty coffin, hence being closed.

Neal glances in the direction where the curly-haired man had walked to. He panics slightly when he sees that he was still there.

Neal quickly darts away from sight, hoping that he had not seen see Neal.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Mozzie was, _is_ , right.

When the plane had landed, all passengers were told to stay in their seats.

And the FBI came rushing in, arresting Neal. Neal had no where to go. They seemed to take extra precaution and kept several people with him, even when transferring him to wherever they were taking him.

When led off the place, he saw Peter Burke standing outside in front of the airport, smirking at him with a lollipop in hand. The same one he had given him years ago.

“George Danvary, Business man and embezzler,” Peter Burke stated. “And another of many burned aliases of one Neal Caffrey.” Neal just stared at him with a firm look. “I knew you would eventually make a mistake.” His tone changes, “What were you doing in California anyway?” He was genuinely confused. “It's very unlike you.”

Neal just smirked, trying to keep his emotions from showing. He might believe that Bryce was still alive, but the pressure of the situation was still weighing him down. “That's for me to know, and for you to not,” he says in a challenging tone.

Peter Burke just pursed his lips at him, narrowing his eyes a little in annoyance. “We'll see about that.” He motioned the people holding him back, signaling for them to continue.

Before he's shoved into the back of an armored car, not because he's armed and dangerous, but because he has a tenancy to escape easily, he sees Mozzie watching him from afar. He's staring at him with a look of disapproval.

 

Mozzie would be waiting for him when gets out though. He just knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.


	4. Chuck 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse, it's in season 2 and 3. And in White Collar!verse, it's pre!show, almost half a year into Neal's prison sentence. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.   
> Spoilers for season 2 and 3 for Chuck. Kind of.

The second time Bryce dies, he does for real.

And Chuck is there holding him when he does. He had a hand over Bryce's, right where the spy is adding pressure to his gunshot wound. Bryce handed him a way to destroy the new intersect, saying it was too powerful.

“Chuck I-” Bryce manages to say, but couldn't say more, he had lost too much energy.

“What is it?” Chuck asks, attempting to keep calm when inside he's really panicking.

Bryce's breaths were now much shorter than before. It was clear that he desperately wanted to say something but was unable to. He parts his lips to try again.

It's awhile before Chuck realizes that Bryce isn't breathing anymore. He has to force himself to break away from Bryce to do what he asked him to do.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Just like last time, Chuck had no one to talk to about Bryce's death. This time, it's final and Chuck knows it. There's no faking it or bringing him back. Chuck was there when Bryce died. He knows he did. And as much as Chuck doesn't want him gone, he has to accept it. Accept that Bryce is gone forever and that there were still many words left unsaid between them.

Especially those special words he had recently realized.

Because he had no one to talk to, his emotions were unstable. He was unable to control the intersect. There were times when he could flash, and times when he couldn't. He was only able to mostly control it when Morgan had found out about him being part of the CIA-NSA joint group. It takes Chuck longer than that to tell Morgan how he feels.

“Bryce? As in Bryce _Larkin?_ ” Morgan asks him, completely flabbergasted. Morgan attempting to hold back his true feelings. Chuck hadn't told him what Bryce had done for him, therefore still didn't like him.

Chucks nods. “Bryce “my ex-roommate” Larkin,” Chuck confirms.

Morgan visibly swallowed as he just stared at him. He says nothing, unsure what to say.

Chuck and Morgan had been chatting in their apartment when Chuck brought it up. Morgan had said that he was still off despite telling him the CIA-NSA secret, which also included the intersect, and demanded that he tell him, saying that he was worried. Chuck told him that he'd tell him when he was ready, which was only a few days after.

“So Bryce huh?” Morgan says softly. He brings a drink up to his lips and takes a gulp before setting it back down. “Can I ask why or when you realized it?”

Chuck hesitates, licking his lips at the same time. He takes a deep breath. “I realized a short while after he died. And I mean, _truly_ died. And I just-” Chuck sighs. “That's when I seemed very different according to you.”

“Because he died,” Morgan whispers to himself, taking it all in.

“I know you still hate him Morgan,” Chuck tells him. “But I don't anymore. Not for awhile actually, even before I realized it.”

Morgan opens his mouth to say something but stops and closes his mouth. A few moments after, he speaks. “I don't know what changed your mind but,” Morgan's tone of voice was hesitant. Chuck knew he had a hard time realizing it but was really trying to be understanding and be a good friend. “But if it's enough for you to love him, then I shouldn't hate him. He isn't a bad person, I trust your judgment.”

 

“But it doesn't matter either way,” Chuck slumps in his seat, a heartbroken expression on his face. “He's gone.” Chuck feels tears that don't fall. “I was too late.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> I'm sorry these first chapters are so short. I want to keep each chapter a separate pov.


	5. Neal 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: late season 1, then early season 2, and late season 2. And in White Collar!verse: a few months into Neal's sentence(december maybe), then around half a year(maybe april or may), then around a year into his sentence(late in the same year). Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.  
> Warnings at the bottom.

Other than Mozzie, Neal gets a total of three visits, all with different names.

The first happens a few months into his prison sentence:

“You have a visitor.”

Neal looks up from where he is staring down at his desk. There were tick-marks on the wall in front of him, telling him how many days he had been in prison. Because he pleaded guilty to the one crime he was caught for, his sentence was reduced to just four years. They couldn't pin the other crimes he allegedly did so those didn't count.

Neal stood up and waited for the officer to unlock the door and chain him up. He said nothing the whole time the officer brought him. Before he turns the corner, into the vistor's wing, he wonders why Mozzie is visiting him a lot sooner than usually. It had been a little sporadic but not to this degree.

Neal expects to keep walking when he sees an empty seat with a person on the other side, but he's sat down. His handcuffs are taken off and he cautiously looks at the other person. It wasn't Mozzie.

There was a man around the same height at him, same skin tone. He had light brown hair and a colorful sweater and scarf on. It's not until he looks into the man's eyes that he realizes who it is.

Neal picks up the phone, smirking. “It's a good look on you,” he jokes after the other picks up the phone.

“Right, just laugh it up,” the man says in a monotone voice.

“You know,” Neal says playfully. “I might do just that.”

The man just stares at him with an unimpressed look.

Neal smiles, laughing a little. “I knew there was more to it,” Neal refers to the funeral a couple months back.

He nods. “Sorry I couldn't make it sooner. I was trapped in a situation at work I couldn't get out of and sometimes I just felt as if I was running on fumes. It took me awhile but I'm here.”

Neal knows what he's saying or referring to. Since they were being recorded, they couldn't straight up say what they wanted. The other literally meant he was trapped in something that kept him with a limited oxygen supply. He didn't know what though.

“Must've been awful,” Neal nods, signaling him he knew what he meant.

“It was,” the other agrees. “It was like I was buried under a whole ton of work, but in reality, they just kept sending me everywhere.”

And Neal knew that the other referred to their funeral. The latter? Maybe he meant they kept shipping the container he was trapped in?

“Enough about me, what about you? How'd they manage to catch the “legendary Neal Caffrey”?”

“Made some disastrous, last minute plans with no preparation at all,” Neal explained. “I ended up using a burned alias.” Translated, it meant: I made last minute plans to a place where something life-ending happened.

“Wow, must have been horrible.” I'm sorry.

“It was urgent.” It's alright, I needed to do it.

“I'm sorry I can't stay longer,” he says sincerely. “I'm on a time limit.”

“It was nice seeing you.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

The second happens around half a year into his sentence:

The man sitting in front of him was blond but had a beanie covering most of his head. He had dark sunglasses perched on top of his head, that matched his leather jacket. And before he sat down, Neal saw that he had black skinny jeans and large, clunky boots on.

“Hi,” Neal greets, a small smile on his face. “It's nice to see you again.”

“Right at you,” the man says in a gruff voice. “How's it been?”

“Nothing that I can't handle,” Neal knows he's talking about prison and how his experience in it is like.

The blond raises a questioning eyebrow as Neal feels his burning gaze. “And I assume that's just dirt right under your collar?”

Neal glances down at his chest, seeing the dark bruise that he hadn't been there just two days ago. He looks up at the man again, shifting in his seat nervously. He taps his knee and swallows before answering. “Like I said, I got it.”

“What's the story behind it?” The man hides his worry but Neal could see it in his eyes.

“Apparently people don't like hearing the word “no,”” he gave a playful smile that hid his pain.

But obviously it didn't work, with the way the other's expression broke and turned agitated. “ _No,_ tell me they didn't Neal.”

“It's fine,” he reassures him. “I managed to hold them off.” And he did. They wanted him and Neal didn't. It was tough. Neal being just one person trying to get away from several in a cramped environment. They hurt him a few times before he got away though.

“Oh if I ever see them in the streets,” he says in threatening tone.

“Careful!” Neal laughs it off. “You're in prison here, you can't just go making threats.”

The other stared at him with a firm gaze. “They _deserve_ it, Neal. They almost-” he cuts himself off, taking in a deep breath. “Alright, fine,” he slips back into his cover.

Unlike last time, he manages to stay until their time is over.

-.-Two Fold-.-

The third and final visit he gets is around a year into his prison sentence, the time is the same. But their goodbyes are a worrying:

“My work has a promotion for me,” I have a new mission. The man is now his natural brunet color. He's in a polo shirt and jeans. It's closer to his casual clothes that the others had been. “And it's very time consuming.”

“How so?” When will you be back, Neal actually asks.

“I don't know,” the brunet shakes his head, not taking his eyes off him. “Might be easy, might be hard,” he stops to take a breath. “You never know,” don't expect me for awhile.

Neal stares at him worryingly. He knows that “promotion” will be very dangerous. He doesn't want to think life-threatening dangerous. “Some “last minute plans?””

He nods.

 

“You better be waiting for me on the other side,” be careful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.  
> Warnings: References to unwanted, sexual behavior.


	6. Chuck 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Midway through season 3. And in White Collar!verse: two years into Neal's sentence(around the time the show started). Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

There was talk among the streets. And streets as in the captured Fulcrum or Ring agents and the “underground” community. The talk was that there was someone brought back from the dead. A group had enclosed a dead body but awhile after, it went missing. The identity of both the body and the group wasn't said in those rumors.

But Chuck couldn't help but wonder if it was Bryce.

Chuck had held Bryce as he died over a year ago and he _knew_ that Bryce died, but there was always that “what if” factor. Bryce had been thought to be dead before, maybe it could happen again. Then again, it was most likely wishful thinking.

Chuck knew that he should have gotten over Bryce by now. A year had passed and that was more than enough to get over him, and Morgan agrees. Though Chuck couldn't get over him; Bryce is always in the back of Chuck's mind. Chuck just couldn't move on from him.

So when he heard the rumors, he became hopeful. Hopeful that he would be able to see Bryce again.

“Any idea who could it be?” Sarah asks General Beckman.

“No,” she declines. “Either way, I want you to be on the lookout for any information regarding this and report it back to me.”

“Yes General,” they replied.

“Any guesses?” Chuck asks once General Beckman had signed off.

Casey glared at him.

Sarah just shook her head.

-.-Two Fold-.-

“Alright, what's wrong?” Morgan paused their game, throwing his controller onto the seat next to himself. He shifted himself in his seat to face Chuck.

“What-what do you mean?” Chuck stutters, attempting to keep calm. Chuck licked his lips and swallowed nervously. He turns to look at Morgan who had a judgmental expression.

“You're kidding right?” Morgan asks him. “I _know_ you Chuck. And Chuck Bartowski wouldn't be shifting in his seat, hands sweaty and twitchy, and the _expression_ on you face is another hint. Seriously dude, what's wrong?”

“Nothing could get past you, huh buddy?” Chuck sighs, putting his controller down. “It's uh, remember what I told you a half a year ago? About the whole-” Chuck waved his hand, hoping Morgan would get it.

“Yeah man, what about it? Something keeping you down?”

“Yes actually,” Chuck hesitates. “There's been talk,” he says slowly. “That there's,” Chuck pauses, taking a deep breath. “That someone “came back from the dead.””

Morgan stares at him but with a more gentle expression this time. “And you're thinking it could be Bryce,” he says softly.

“It happened before,” Chuck says unconvincingly. “It could happen again, right? Right?” Chuck repeats weakly.

Morgan shrugs. “Maybe,” he says cautiously, not wanting to hurt Chuck's feelings.

Chuck sighs loudly, slumping in his seat. “You don't think so, do you.” It's a statement, not a question.

“It's not that I _don't,_ ” Morgan hesitates. “It's more like,” he pauses. “Well, you told me this yourself Chuck, you were there when he died.”

Chuck exhales a breath. “It's been a year,” Chuck waves his hand around, emphasizing what he's saying. “And I'm _still_ not over him.”

 

Morgan just pats him on the back for comfort. He had gotten over his hatred for Bryce when he realized that there must be a reason why Chuck loves him despite what he did. Even after all this time, he still doesn't know the why and how.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> I promise you my chapters aren't usually this short. More but shorter updates than usual.


	7. Neal 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Midway through season 3. And in White Collar!verse: two years into Neal's sentence(around the time the show started). Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.   
> Warnings at the bottom.

The man never comes back after that.

Neal is laying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling when he's in his thoughts.

The man, _his brother,_ doesn't come back. Neal worries even though Bryce had warned him that it would be awhile. But he has never gone a whole year without seeing Neal. He wonders if something happened on that mission. If he actually did die for real this time. It's plausible.

A few weeks after the last visit, Neal had collapsed in the middle of his cell and woken in the infirmary. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong with him, he seemed fine.

But Neal knew something had happened to Bryce, and he was never informed whether or not he was fine. Bryce hadn't come in to see him and tell Neal he was fine. Neal didn't know what was happening to Bryce and he had no way of finding out. He couldn't tell Mozzie, and he was the only one who came to see him.

Neal was tempted to escape prison to go look for him on his own but he convinced himself that it was a bad idea.

“You have a visitor.”

Neal looks up from his bed. ' _Different guy,_ ' Neal notes to himself. But he gets up anyway. He waits in front of the cell door for the officer to unlock it. He holds out his hands.

“Get going.”

Neal looks at him for a moment with a questioning gaze before turning to listen to what he says. ' _No handcuffs?_ '

Neal walks the same path as usual, wondering whether or not it's Mozzie visiting him, it was almost time for him to. Or maybe Bryce.

Neal is snapped out of his thoughts when he's shoved a different direction. One that is different from where he usually goes. “Is there more visiting rooms that I'm not aware of?” Neal asks him.

It's awhile before the officer answers, and it's when they're alone in a hallway, nearing three other officers. “Shut it Larkin.”

Neal almost lets his shock show but manages to hold it in. ' _How do they know about Bryce?_ ' He thinks inwardly. Or rather, ' _How'd they find out about me?_ '

Neal wears a playfully, innocent looking smile. “Sorry but I think you've got the wrong guy,” he tries to play it off. “I'm afraid I don't know this “Larkin” you're talking about.”

“Nice try,” he says drily.

Next thing Neal knows is nothing. It goes completely blank and he's waking up somewhere else.

-.-Two Fold-.-

When Neal comes to, he observes that the people who took him are professionals. Professionals in both ways; that they've done this before and actually businessmen professionals. Although, not businessmen specifically.

Neal has never seen anything like this before, nor does he recognize any of them. All Neal knows is what comes next.

 

It's expected to. It's what always happens in these situations.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> Warnings:  
> References to torture


	8. Peter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Midway through season 3. And in White Collar!verse: two years into Neal's sentence(around the time the show started). Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

When Peter had caught Neal at the airport two years ago, he felt a bit cheated out of it. Peter first thought that it was too obvious, Caffrey was usually very careful and had everything planned out. But when alarms went off on one of his burned aliases, that alerted the whole White Collar division. And Peter was thinking whether or not it was a set up, because there's no way that catching Neal Caffrey was that easy.

But it turns out, it was.

Neal never had made a mistake. Peter even had set up a trap for him using Kate Moreau, against her knowledge of course, and he didn't fall for it either.

They had found Neal Caffrey sitting in the alias' seat and he hadn't even bothered to fight the handcuffs. The had extra precaution and he still didn't try to escape. It was so unlike him that they thought it was a look alike, but tests showed that it was him.

So when Peter was told that Caffrey had escaped, he told himself that he should not have been surprised. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book. Get their guard down, make them believe that they had nothing to worry about, and finally strike when they least expect it.

The US Marshalls had told Peter when he had been in the middle of jobs. Diana had informed him the US Marshalls needed his help. She mentioned that it was due to him knowing everything about Caffrey and would be most likely to catch him.

When Peter meets them, they inform him of what they know. It wasn't much. Just that he acted like he did every other day, no suspicious activity at all.

“Did he have a visitor?” Peter asks.

“No,” the marshall shakes his head. Not since several weeks prior. “Nothing seems out of the ordinary.”

“Nothing at all?” Peter asks with doubt. “What happened before his disappearance?”

“The neighboring cells claim that an officer came by to get him for a visitor, but there was no record of it nor was it visiting hours.”

“Do you have a video feed it?”

They shook their heads.

 

' _Of course not,_ ' Peter sighs mentally. ' _Because it's never that easy with Neal Caffrey._ '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.


	9. Neal 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Midway through season 3. And in White Collar!verse: two years into Neal's sentence(around the time the show started). Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.   
> Warnings at the bottom

“You traitor.”

Neal flinched, not knowing what was going on. He never met any of these people but he knew why.

“ _Shut it Larkin.”_

It's because they thought he was Bryce.

Who he hadn't seen in over a year. So even if he were to explain that he was  _not_ his twin brother, they would not just release him. In fact, telling them that might just make the situation worse. They'd most likely want to keep him there, torture him, force Neal to tell them where Bryce is, what he knows, and more along those lines. 

And again, he wouldn't be able to tell them anything.

Neal is pretty much screwed. And he doubts anyone would come to save him. Mozzie wouldn't even be aware that he's missing.

So Neal fakes it.

“Assuming I was ever on your side,” Neal attempts to be Bryce. He didn't know the situation so he was just shooting in the dark, hoping he got it right.

The man in front of him smirks. “Oh I'll admit,” he says in a fake, light-hearted tone. “You're good, but the CIA doesn't train their agents _that_ good to trick both us and them.”

Neal pauses, forcing himself not to change his expression and look like his calm and cold-hearted brother. “You're right,” Neal continues playing along. “The CIA _didn't_ train me like that,” he leans forward slightly, as far as he can with him being rope-tied to a chair with no way to saw through it. “But I managed to handle myself well before the CIA.”

The man in front of him frowned, giving him a hard glare. He just glared at Neal for a few moments before breaking the silence. “Toss him in a cell, we'll get him to talk eventually. If not, we'll take him back to headquarters.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

Judging from his sleeping schedule, Neal had been in there for three days, and the people who kidnapped him only fed him twice. Neal is assuming that they're starting off with starving him in hopes of him finally giving up what they want to know, while at the same time, keeping him alive in case they need him.

They hadn't given Neal anything to do, which, no duh, of course they wouldn't, he's their prisoner.  Although,  Neal managed to stay sane. At least for a little while.  After what Neal assumed was  just over  a week and a half, and four meals  eaten,  Neal was feeling agitated. He felt as if he could go out of his mind. Neal isn't one to keep still, he likes moving about, actually  _doing_ things, but being trapped in a small, windowless, concrete room is driving him to insanity. 

N eal became twitchy, tried to do anything he could to not keep still. But because they starved him, he hardly has any energy to keep moving. So in turn,  he became twitchy from the lack of movement. And he had a feeling if the pattern kept going, his next meal would be in 3 days, his last being 3 days prior. 

N eal had no idea why they were doing this to him. Why they didn't just end it or get right to it. Maybe they wanted to watch him slowly suffer? But either way, it was working. 

_And Neal couldn't take it anymore._

“Ready to talk now?” 

Neal slowly brings up his head from where it was resting against the wall. Neal decides to say nothing, he learned his lesson the hard way. After almost a week of retorts and punishments, Neal decided that it was just best to keep quiet. Even Neal knew when it was best to stop.

“Still not talking?” A man off to the side muttered.

“It shouldn't be surprising,” the man at the door states.

“Of course it shouldn't,” he paused. “Get him inside the van, we'll take him to headquarters.”

“Yessir,” the man at the doorway, along with a few others walk in. They handcuff and force Neal to his feet, dragging him to wherever that van was. 

N eal is hardly paying attention.  Next thing he knows, there's shouting clamor, and shouting, and panicking. 

“Sir, we seem to be surrounded!”

“CIA?”

“FBI.”

The man scoffed. “We'll be able to get away from them. They're pathetic.”

“We're surrounded,” he repeats.

“Then we send decoys.”

“Yessir.”

F rom what Neal could tell, an hour or so had passed. It was then that the supposed leader of the group, along with the two people holding him, when to stuff him into the back of a dark, tinted car. It wasn't a van so it could blend much more than the others who had taken vans.  When they piled into the car and got out the building, there wasn't anyone waiting there.

“We're in the clear,” the driver said, a smirk on his face.

“Of course,” the leader said in an obvious tone. “It's the FBI.”

Fortunately, he spoke too soon.

“ _Fuck,_ ” the leader cursed aloud. “We're surrounded!”

“What do I do?” The driver shouts from front.

“Get rid of them of course,” the leader replies.

And of course, they're unable to.

Long story short, they don't get away. The person next to him, not the leader, is shot dead. The car spins out of control, killing the driver. The car tips onto the side of where their leader is, preventing them escaping. All the windows are broken in, and the outsiders have a clear view inside of the car.

The FBI held their guns pointed at the two people in the car.

The leader gives up. He's being handcuffed and lead into black, armored van, while Neal was being lead into the back of an ambulance. Although, he's still handcuffed to the railing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> Warnings: Mentions of torture to a character.


	10. Peter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Midway through season 3. And in White Collar!verse: two years into Neal's sentence(around the time the show started). Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

By bribing Neal's cell neighbors, they had been able to get some details on who the “officer” that had taken Neal, and with that, they got pretty accurate sketch. So accurate that they were able to run his face through the system and get an identity. Although, the marshalls were at first reluctant to give into the bribes of the prisoners but eventually, after two days, they gave in. And the face recognition had taken a day. However, finding the actual person had taken awhile. But they had tracked him down o what seemed like an ordinary business.

When they surrounded the building, they sent out decoys first. So, to trick them, they went out of the building's view to wait for them to leave. And that was when they pounced.

The car is tipped onto its side when the driver is shot, they arrest the leader, and Neal is taken to the hospital. So far, there was no visible injuries that they could see on Neal, but they had to make sure. Especially since he was gone for over a week, they had to check for any harm done to his mental state.

But considering Neal was Neal, they needed to exercise precautions. So although he was known to slip, they had to cuff him to the railing. While they took Neal to the hospital in an ambulance, Peter was required to go there by his own car. At first, he had wondered why he was required to go but was told that he needed to question him.

When they arrived at the hospital, they did a thorough examination of Neal. There was no cuts, bruises, or wounds, but Neal was malnourished and dehydrated. At first glance, and even if you held a conversation with him, there were no signs that Neal was hurt. He seemed like he always was. But he was a conman, so of course he was able to fake it.

“So?” Peter asks the head officer who had been in charge of retrieving Neal. “What happens now? After Neal is cleared from the hospital, of course.”

“He goes back to prison,” he says firmly. “And because he ran-”

“Excuse me?” Peter cuts in. “Neal Caffrey didn't run, he was _taken._ ”

“But the sheriff and warden is considering this as an attempt at escape,” the officer explains. “But they're also considering that he may have been taken-”

““May have?”” Peter looks at him with disbelief. “He _was_ taken.”

“They're not planning on adding four years, they're just going to make him restart his sentence.”

“That isn't right,” Peter argues. “They shouldn't be allowed to do that.”

“It's out of my control,” the officer raises his hands out of defense. “We can't do anything to change their minds, even if we could, it would be too late since they put in the order already. So unless you plan on taking him in on as your CI,” he jokes the last part slightly. “Neal will have to redo his sentence in prison.” The officer turns to leave, leaving Peter alone to overhear the conversation going on inside.

“How are you feeling?”

Peter could hear the doctor from where he was standing outside the hospital room. He was allowed inside but preferred to stay out of the room for the moment. He needed to think what he just heard through.

“Fine doctor,” Peter could hear the wide smile on his face. His voice was cheerful.

But Peter knew. He knew that he wasn't fine, nowhere near it.

“And is that the truth?”

Peter hears silent, so he assumes that he either nodded or shook his head, or just shrugged.

“I see,” soft scratching sounds, that was a pencil against paper, was heard. “Make yourself comfortable and don't go anywhere, I'll be back later to check up on you.”

“I'll be a good boy,” Neal jokes. “But it isn't like I can go anywhere,” clinking sounds of metal sounds.

The doctor chuckles. He soon exits the room, nodding to Peter before leaving.

Peter nods back before he enters the room, leaving the two police officers guarding the room. He softly closes the door behind him, Neal's eyes on him when he entered.

“Agent Burke,” Neal stares at him, looking a little unsure of how to feel. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Caffrey,” Peter reluctantly says. He didn't know how to tell him. “I'm here to update you on your condition.”

“I wasn't aware that you also had a PHD,” he jokes slightly.

Peter sighs at him. “This is serious, I think you're going to want to hear this.” That had seemed to gain his attention. When Neal is silent, Peter continues. He decided to do it like a band-aid. “They're going to make you redo your prison sentence.”

Neal's eyes widen slightly. “You're pulling my leg right?” Neal attempts to pass it off as a joke but Peter could tell his true emotions. Peter knew he was panicking on the inside, if not a bit annoyed.

“I wish I was,” Peter says truthfully.

“ _Why?_ I was _taken,_ I didn't try to escape,” Neal says truthfully.

“I know that, but they can't take it back.”

“This is unfair,” Neal throws his hands up, shaking his head as he looks away, his smile falling. Neal sighs.

Peter breaths heavily. ' _Should I-?_ ' “Listen,” he says reluctantly. ' _I can't believe I'm doing this._ ' Peter, while he was an FBI agent, the one agent who falsely caught Neal Caffrey, he still had morals. “I may know of a way that wouldn't require you to spend four more years in jail.”

Neal looks over to him, now interested what to say.

“You'd still have to pay four years, but it wouldn't be in prison.”

“What is it?”

 

Peter sighs, ' _Here goes nothing._ '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> I'm sorry this is late. And there's most likely grammar mistakes, I was unable to check it since I'm doing this before school.


	11. Neal 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

A few months had passed since Neal came from the hospital. A few weeks since Peter Burke had taken him in as his CI. Since then, Neal mostly recovered. He's eating on a mostly regular basis. And he has grown close to the people at office, Peter, Diana, Jones, and the others too. Neal had also managed to switch out from the motel to a place to June's place. He met June at the thrift store when shopping for new clothes and she had allowed for him to take Byron's, her husband who had passed, old clothes, which were _very_ nice suits, and have a room in her house.

The next day, Mozzie had shown up, handing Neal back his black box. Then, when he was alone that night and all the other nights, he did some research.

Over a year had passed since Neal had seen his brother. He remembers Bryce telling him that it would be awhile until he'd e able to visit him. This has been the longest since Neal and Bryce haven't seen each other. And Neal needed to know where he was.

So he started with the time Bryce visited him. Perhaps he had left a message?

Because Neal had received two keys when they let him out of prison. On a tracking anklet of course. But Neal hadn't brought along any keys, although they still insisted that it was his. That someone left it for him. And it must've been Bryce who left it.

Neal searched the newspapers and eventually found that there was a message left for him. It had taken him a few weeks to find the actual code. Then it took a few days to decode it. It had been a location and a number. It turned out to be the address to the FBI building and the floor number to their director's office.

Neal didn't know what to do with it or _why,_ but he couldn't just waltz right into the office and ransack it. He needed to be careful and cautious.

It had taken a long while to plan out what to do. But when he got into the director's office, he knew he had to come back. He didn't know what to do. He searched and searched but he couldn't find anything. He had to come back again the next day to continue.

When Neal came back, he finally found what he thought he was supposed to be searching for. It was safe. One with a key. He didn't have his tools on him, but he supposes that he didn't need it. That they key he was given, at least one of them, fit into it.

Neal went back the next day, bringing the key with him.

Inside the safe was a dark, silver box in the shape of a disk. Neal takes it out, closing the safe door and pocketing the key.

He tucks it into his jacket and leaves the office, heading home for the night.

-.-Two Fold-.-

It was midnight but Neal _had_ to see what was in it. There was what looked like a usb drive on the disk. And Neal suspected that the other key he received, the one that looked like a flash drive, is the one that opened it.

Neal fingers the flash drive key in his hand, looking at the silver disk. He was contemplating what was in it. ' _Aliases? Photos? Documents?_ ' Neal had no idea what it could be.

He inserted the key and the disk popped open. There is a passport, some documents, and photos.

Neal checks the passport first.

**Bryce Larkin**

Neal looks at the photos. There were two. The first was of them when they were fourteen.

**Bryce & Danny 1994**

Neal smiles fondly before setting it to the side. He picks up the next picture. It was of Bryce and on other person. He had dark brown, curly hair. They wore matching shirts of what Neal assumes was their fraternity house.

**Bryce & Chuck 2002**

Neal stares at the second person. ' _That must be the Chuck Bryce was always talking about._ ' His eyes linger on the picture, wanting to know what Bryce was like with Chuck.

Chuck seemed extremely friendly. He had a wide smile on his face, same as Bryce. Both their arms were wrapped around each other's shoulders, so even without hearing Bryce's stories, Neal know they were close.

He set the picture to the side and picked up the paper. At first glance, Neal notices that it's a letter.

_**If you're reading this, then that means I'm already dead.** _

Neal winces. He didn't want to believe it. Just like last time, it must be a fluke, right?

_**There isn't much in my life that I would actually miss. However, the things, or rather people, that I would miss, are the same people that I would want for this letter to be ready by. So, I ask that you give this letter along with this container and all its contents, to be given to either one of them. And if you're one of the two stated, please inform the other of this.** _

_**There was many things in life that went unsaid. Especially because my death must have been very sudden.** _

_**Neal Caffrey:** _

_**For a long time, I have known you for years as you are my brother. Needless to say, damnation has come between us. Many things like conversation, external influences, internal influences, much more.** _

_**In general, not much has gone good for us. Not just that, except for some things. Wangled by even each other, yesteryear has brought both good and the bad. Only the fact that we had each other and a few others was good. Really, kindness was something I need from someone.** _

_**Resigned by our hobbies, organizations, our lives were separated. Something, exceptionally even, varied my visits. Everyone couldn't know, lest someone in our lives harm the other. Times were difficult but I'm glad you were there.** _

_**It's horrible that I couldn't tell yo in person, so I'll say it now. Long time no see Neal, Everest amount of missing you on my side.** _

_**Chuck Bartowski:** _

_**He was my roommate in college, one of he only people I consider a friend, one of the only two I ever trusted.** _

_**I hope that by the time you're reading this, you already know a few things about my life. The reason I had you kicked out of college, wasn't because I hated you or anything like that. There was people out there, whom I can't go into specifics about, who had their eyes on you. They were organizations that would've changed your entire being.** _

_**I couldn't have that because I** _ **do** **_care about you. And there's something else that I wouldn't have been able to tell you. I know because I saw the way you looked at Sarah and the way she looked at you. Both times I saw you after I sent you that e-mail._ **

_**I wanted to stay in Burbank. I know you still hate me but I missed you. After all those years I never stopped thinking about you. But I couldn't be selfish, so I never said anything. There was no point. But I decided I should tell you now.** _

_**I love you.** _

_**I'm sorry I never told you, but I know you would never feel the same, especially after what I did to you. Even if you didn't know I was doing it all for you.** _

Neal sighed, wiping away the tears. ' _Bryce planned on never telling Chuck?_ ' Was it because of Sarah? He was pretty sure it was because of her. But who was Sarah? His letter suggests that his love for Chuck was one-sided, even all the stories Bryce told him, he made it sound like Chuck didn't love him back. Neal couldn't imagine what it had been like for him.

Neal thought back on Bryce's message to him and frowned a little. He thought the writing was a bit odd but quickly brushed it off. It had been a goodbye letter to him.

Neal had hoped it was something more.

 

So he looked again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> Sorry this is a little later than usual. I wasn't able to re-check it so there's most likely mistakes.


	12. Chuck 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. It's been awhile since Chuck had his POV.

 When Chuck got the call from Ellie and Awesome, he was shocked. He hadn't expected for their Doctor's conventions -which he wasn't even aware that they even had- to end up having a dangerous booth.

Dangerous as in life-threatening. Apparently Awesome recognized some combinations that was used in one of the recent poisons. And somehow, no one had caught that. Not wanting to blindly handle it themselves, they decided to call them.

So, Chuck, Sarah, Casey, and Morgan were headed to New York City to check out the convention. They hadn't made a plan yet but they needed to do one soon. While it wasn't the regular three-day convention, they only had a week. Maybe more if their perp decides to stay back a little.

And after they deal with that, they had somehow managed to get two weeks off. So three weeks away from Burbank. It was weird but they were told they deserved the time off.

“I've always wanted to go to New York,” Morgan comments from where he's sitting in between Chuck and Casey. Sarah had gotten a seat in the section next to them, so there was an isle between them. “I know we're here on business but we get time off after!” He says cheerfully.

Sarah smiles over at them. “It would be good for us.”

“There's even a wine tasting coming up soon!” Morgan exclaims, waving the touring pamphlet that he printed.

“Don't go counting your chickens before they even hatched,” Casey warns, a little annoyed from having to sit next to Morgan. At least he had the window seat.

“Oh come on John,” Morgan exclaims. “Don't suck the fun out of it.”

“Yeah Casey,” Chuck agrees, looking over to meet him in the eyes. “We got a well deserved break, and I'm _pretty sure_ that hardly ever happens.”

“Doesn't mean we should have one,” Casey denies.

Chuck suspects that Casey thought that no they didn't deserve it, but that he was just a workaholic.

“Lighten up Casey,” Sarah calls over. “After we get this done, we can just enjoy our break and you can get straight back to work all you want.”

“Yeah,” Chuck likes the sound of a vacation. “Maybe we can go to that wine tasting Morgan mentioned.”

Morgan cheered.

“There are all sorts of things in New York,” Chuck says. “You'll find something you will like.”

' _And maybe I'll finally get my mind off of Bryce._ '

-.-Two Fold-.-

They settle into a room in the same hotel as Ellie and Awesome's. It's nice but not too expensive. And it's enough to fit all of them.

They rent a two bedroom room in the hotel, which are on the higher floors. One room has two beds and the other has a king sized bed. Morgan and Chuck share the king bed, and Sarah and Casey share the other with their own bed.

It was towards the end of the day so they weren't able to go investigate the convention. So Chuck and Morgan decided to go find dinner while Sarah and Casey set up their equipment. Casey had been a bit reluctant to let them go as they could've easily gotten lost but Sarah convinced him that it would be fine.

“Is it that way or-” Morgan trails off, gazing intensely at the map. He kept turning it around, trying to find the right way to face it. “Why are maps so hard to read?!”

Chuck too had a hard time reading it.

“Do you need some directions?”

Chuck and Morgan look up to see a dark brown-haired man with blue eyes. He wore a dark gray, tweed suit with a light blue collared shirt and a black tie. He had the presence that screamed government. FBI perhaps?

Chuck glances behind the man, seeing the New York division for the FBI. ' _FBI,_ ' Chuck confirms.

“Uh yeah, just wondering where the good eats are,” Morgan asks, waving the map around.

Chuck looks back at the man to see him smile kindly. And Chuck knows it's genuine.

“Well,” the man starts to say, explaining the places to eat.

But Chuck is no longer paying any attention.

Black wavy hair. Light skin. Black, sleek suit. A hat. And those unforgettable, beautiful blue eyes.

His eyes glance back at the FBI building. ' _I swear I just saw-_ ' Chuck trails off, desperately looking up and down the street. But to no avail, he wasn't there anymore.

“Hey thanks!” Morgan exclaims.

“It's no problem, really.” The man waves a good bye before walking off to his car.

' _Bryce?_ ' Chuck thinks longingly. He sighs. ' _Just imagining things again._ ' It had been awhile since his mind had been playing tricks on him. And every single time it did, he would see Bryce.

“Chuck!”

Said man snaps his head toward his friend. “H-huh?”

“Were you even listening? What happened?”

Chuck gave a nervous smile. “I guess I'm still in awe at being in New York.”

  
  


“Dude,” Morgan says with a tone of disbelief. “I am too but I don't just go zoning out.” He tugson Chuck's hand. “Now come on, we have some dinner to get.”

Chuck allows himself to be pulled away, glancing back once again.

-.-Two Fold-.-

The whole time Chuck and Morgan went to go get their food, go back to the hotel, and eat, Bryce was on Chuck's mind. He couldn't forget it even though he doubts that it was him. There was always that “what if” thought in the back of his mind.

' _Was it really him?_ ' Chuck thinks. ' _There was no way, it must be a look-alike,_ ' Chuck starts to reason. ' _But if it was actually Bryce, then I could see him again._ ' Chuck smiles down at his food, taking another bite. ' _I wish it was actually him. I know I saw him die but he could still be alive. It could be Bryce and not a look-alike._ '

Chuck swallows his food, his mind drifting back into the conversation.

“New Yorkers are a lot nicer than I thought,” Morgan comments. “Some dude, suit and all, came over to help us out with the map.”

Casey shook his head in frustration. “Of course you two got lost,” he says aloud to no one in particular. “This is why I didn't want you two going in the first place.”

“Hey!” Morgan defends. “We got here in one piece! Right Chuck?”

“We're fine Casey,” Chuck reassures. “You don't have to worry about us.”

“I _wasn't_ worried,” Casey mutters a denial, deciding to just continue eating his food.

Sarah laughs fondly.

“That's his way of saying he is,” Sarah smiles.

 

“Don't I know it,” Chuck comments, earning him a glare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.   
> If you couldn't tell, that was Peter who they met.   
> And we're FINALLY getting into the meat of this story. All the others were just bread and toppings.


	13. Neal 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

 Neal squeezed his eyes shut. The sun was shining too bright for his tastes.

Neal slowly blinks his eyes open, stretching uncomfortably. He had somehow fallen asleep without realizing it. He groaned, massaging the crick in his neck.

Neal kept staring at the things in front of him, still trying to get the blurriness out of his eyes. When he did, he sees some letters circled.

_**F I N D M E I M I N N E W Y O R K R O O S E V E L T I S L E** _

Neal smiles. ' _What a good morning to wake up to._ ' He didn't remember doing much after reading the letter. It was like finding out for the first time that....

_**Bryce is alive.** _

He must be. There was no way that it was just a coincidence. Bryce _must_ be alive, right? Well, the only way to find out is to find him.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Neal was beaming when he walked into “work” that day. He was beaming the entire time he worked. And he was beaming after that.

Neal was so happy that even Peter became suspicious.

“I don't have to worry about something, do I?” Peter asks from where he's standing.

Work for the day was over. It was surprisingly early but Neal wasn't complaining. And Peter was taking him home with his car. They were about to leave when Peter stops them.

“Hold on,” Peter raises his hand, grabbing Neal's wrist before he can start walking.

Neal raises his eyebrow at him. “What is it?”

“The people over there,” he waves toward the direction of across the street, letting go of his wrist. “They look lost.”

Neal does nothing and just stares off as Peter checked both sides and ran across the street. He loks back at the building, smiling and waving them a goodbye. He pockets his hands after a few of them greet him a goodbye. Still smiling, he looks back at where Peter is.

Peter is now leaning over to look at something, while he stands next to two people. The person who was paying attention was short compared to the others. He had a beard and dark hair.

The other person was tall, very tall. Taller than Peter even, He had short, curly hair and his air of innocence to him.

Neal frowns a little, tilting his head in observance. The man had looked a bit familiar. And when the man glanced at Neal for only a moment, revealing his facial features to him, Neal gaped slightly. ' _That's Chuck,_ ' he thinks in disbelief. ' _Bryce's Chuck._ ' Neal glances away. He needed to get away. He couldn't allow Chuck to see him and mistake him for Bryce. And whoever he was with, must be one of his friends. Bryce had talked about them sometimes to him.

Neal slips away in a hurry. He had to disappear before either Chuck or his friend noticed him. Peter would question him later but Neal would just make up an excuse.

When he's far from his original spot, he glances back to where Chuck and his friend is, was. They must have left. Peter too, as he's looking a bi confused. And now making a phone call.

 

“Hey Peter,” Neal greets him in false cheerfulness. ' _What's Chuck doing in New York?_ '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.


	14. Chuck 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

 Chuck had been out on the streets more often when he saw the figure that afternoon. He wasn't sure whether or not what he was real. But Chuck had unknowingly had been walking around a lot. He had not realized it until they had pointed it out to him.

“We're not on vacation yet, Chuck,” Casey reminds him. “So quit walking around New York and get to helping us.” Casey told him this two days after Chuck say the figure.

“What?” Chuck stutters. “I wasn't-, how did-, why-?”

“What are you even doing out there?” Sarah questions him.

“Oh just,” Chuck shrugs, not knowing what to say. He didn't want to tell them about what he saw. Morgan already gave him pitied looks, Chuck didn't want to get them from Casey and Sarah too. “Exploring I guess.”

“Well stop,” Casey says firmly. “Get your head in the game Bartowski, we have a job to do.”

“He's right Chuck,” Sarah says in an apologetic tone. “You can do that after we handle the problem at the convention.”

“What's so important that you have to skip out on your duties?” Casey stares at him with an intense gaze.

“Uh,” Chuck trails off.

Casey smirked. “Thought so,” he nods toward a seat. “Sit.”

Chuck, before Casey told him, had just been about to head out again.

“ _Sit,_ ” Casey emphasized.

Chuck swallowed. While he wanted to go out again, he knew he had some duties to attend to.

Chuck sat down. “So,” he says. “What's there to do?”

-.-Two Fold-.-

The moment he was able to, Chuck bolted out of there, using the excuse of getting them dinner. He'd been out so much that Chuck practically knew the immediate area inside and out. Well no, that's a b it of an exaggeration but the point is that Chuck knew an awful lot of places for someone who has been there for a few days.

When he was wandering around town in the general area of where the restaurants are, e thought he spotted someone.

Chuck had just ordered their food and waited for his number, “468,” to be called. When he looked up from his phone and out the window, his eyes widen. His breath shakes for a moment and heart beats just a bit faster.

“Bryce?” Chuck whispers.

He couldn't believe his eyes. Bryce was wearing something similar to what he was wearing a few days ago. This time, he had a black, silk shirt under a black suit jacket and black slacks to go along with it. Also, that same, or at least very similar, hat that he wore a few days ago.

“468?”

Chuck stands up, rushing after Bryce. He stops just outside the door. He looks up and down the street, trying o remember where Bryce went. Chuck remembers when he spots a bar. Throwing away all logic, he rushes to get to the bar.

Chuck bursts into the bar. He's huffing and puffing heavily, earning some weird stares from some of the attendees. It takes him only about a minute for him to find Bryce. But it takes him a few more minutes to get himself together.

After all, it was _Bryce._ And Chuck missed him _so damn much._ And he loves him just as much.

“Bryce?” Chuck hears his own voice quiver. It was so soft and vulnerable.

Bryce continued what he was doing, seemingly unfazed by Chuck.

“Bryce,” Chuck speaks louder, now standing behind him. Chuck could feel how fragile he himself is. “Bryce,” Chuck repeats himself, reaching over to place his hand on his shoulder. He wouldn't know what he would do if it wasn't him.

Bryce and his companion stop their conversation. He looks down at Chuck's hand before slowly turning around in his seat.

Chuck swallows nervously. He waited for Bryce to turn and acknowledge him. He takes his hand off, just waiting.

A smile slowly grew on Chuck's face, breathing happily when he sees the otehr's face.

Those blue eyes gazing intensely at him.

“Bryce,” Chuck breathes happily.

There was something about the look in his eyes that told Chuck something was off. But he just ignored it because _it was Bryce!_

“Bryce I-” Chuck starts to say, eyes shining brightly.

“I'm sorry,” he says in the most polite, truthful, and genuine-sounding voice ever. “But I think you've mistaken me for someone else,” he starts.

Chuck parted his lips, starting to become overwhelmed with the feeling of sadness. “Bryce,” he whispers, emotions fulling his voice.

“My name is Nick, not Bryce. I'm sorry.”

Why had Bryce just denied who he was? Because that is Bryce and Chuck knows it. He had no doubt that it was him. Even after Bryce being gone for over a year, he didn't forget what Bryce looked like. And now that he's seen Bryce again, there's no way that he's letting him ago.

“I missed you Bryce,” Chuck continues, emotions still filling his voice. “I missed you _so_ much.” Chuck steps forward, wrapping his arms around him. He buries his head into the area between his neck and shoulder. Bryce seemed and felt a bit different, Chuck notes, but that's what a year apart does for you.

Bryce goes rigid though.

“Bry-” Chuck leans away little, looking at him with confusion. ' _Bryce was always comfortable with me, why wold he-?_ '

“ _Listen,_ ” Bryce said a little more firmly. “I'm not this “Bryce” guy you keep insisting that I am,” he pushes him off, hurting Chuck deeply.

Chuck's eyes grow wide with pain.

Bryce stands up, turning to his companion. “Can we go to a place more private?”

Chuck watches in pain as Bryce walks away from him. As he walks away with _some girl._ He turns a bit toward him, raising a hand to reach toward Bryce as he takes a step forward. His lips are slightly parted, eyebrows furrowed. “Bryce,” he whispers. Chuck feels himself on the verge of tears.

' _D_ _on't leave_ _me_ _again._ '

  
  


  
  


 

“I'm guessing you're going to be wanting a drink...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late.


	15. Neal 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

 Ever since Neal saw Chuck two days ago, he's noticed that he's been showing up a lot more. And he knows Chuck doesn't live in New York, he's from California. Bryce had told him so.

So why was Chuck there? Did he actually see Neal?

Neal mentally curses at the thought. ' _It would end very badly if he actually saw me,_ ' Neal thinks to himself. ' _He'd mistake me for Bryce._ '

In the span of those two days, Neal ended up having to throw Chuck off his trail. Chuck had been following him a few times each day, and all the times Neal noticed, he managed to lose him very easily. But the thing is, after Neal did, Chuck didn't seem to be looking for him after.

That made him doubt whether or not Chuck was actually following him all those times, but he checked each time. Neal would go to all these unexpected, bizarre areas and constantly check if Chuck was still there. And he still was. So Neal knows that Chuck had been following him.

It had been pretty harmless so Neal didn't do anything either, let alone getting Chuck to leave him alone. He couldn't even have some time to find Bryce. Neal and Peter were too busy dealing with a Home Invasion involving Jade Elephants.

Which should be ending soon. They have a plan to capture Pierce. They had Daniel Picah use his dating account to attract her, and it had worked. They set up a date and Neal had went in his place. At first, it worked. However...

“Bryce?”

Neal hears a small voice quiver behind him.

' _Oh no,_ ' Neal mentally curses to himself, forcing himself to be unfazed by who he assumes is Chuck. He continues talking to Pierce, trying not to blow the mission. Any other time, he might. _Might._

“And you'll actually double-cross the FBI like that?” She had just started to trust him too.

“Bryce,” Chuck repeats desperately, a bit louder this time.

Neal could hear how hurt and desperate he is. He could practically feel his emotions himself.

“Bryce,” he repeats.

Neal can no longer ignore him when he feels a hand on his shoulder. SO he acts. Neal glances down at his hand, his and Pierce's conversation stopping. He turns around as he feels the hand is removed from his shoulder.

When Neal is fully turned, he's a bit surprised. While he had seen Chuck from afar, he hadn't expected him to look like this. The picture was a bit old so he still looked different. He was much taller than expected.

A wide smile slowly grows on his face, he was absolutely _beaming_ with happiness and relief.

It hurt Neal knowing that he'd have to reject someone so innocent and happy looking.

“Bryce,” Chuck breathes happily. “Bryce, I-”

“I'm sorry,” Neal cuts in. He used the most polite, truthful, and genuine-sounding voice he could, without sounding like he's lying. “But I think you've mistaken me for someone else.”

Neal could practically hear Chuck's heart break. “Bryce,” his whisper was full of emotions.

“My name is Nick, not Bryce. I'm sorry.”

Neal could see how desperate Chuck is. He seems as if he's grasping at strings, hoping that Neal would take him, that _Bryce_ would take him.

“I missed you, Bryce.”

Neal could see that Chuck's on the verge of tears.

“I missed you so much,” Chuck steps forward, wrapping his arms around Neal, burying his head into his neck.

Neal went rigid.

Neal felt the emotions radiating from Chuck. ' _That idiot,_ ' Neal says, mentally shaking his head at Bryce. ' _He does love you._ ' Neal knew that this is what Bryce has wanted for a long time, for Chuck to love him back. And here was Chuck, displaying all those emotions right now, for Neal to see. But he has to reject him.

Neal was in the middle of a mission, and he couldn't allow anyone to know about the other's life.

“Bry-” Chuck leans away a little, looking at him with confusion.

' _I can't believe I'm doing this, I'm sorry Chuck, Bryce._ ' “ _Listen,_ ” Neal says firmly. “I'm not this “Bryce” guy you keep insisting that I am,” he pushes Chuck off.

Chuck's eyes grow wide, and Neal knows that he's hurt him deeply.

Neal stands. As he's turning to Pierce, Neal could see tears start to stream down Chcuk's face. “Can we go somewhere more private?”

Pierce is staring at him with a look of distrust.

It seemed like this mission failed the moment Chuck walked in.

“Bryce,” Neal could hear Chuck whisper as he's walking away.

Once they're outside on the streets, Pierce stops them.

“Sorry about that, I don't know why-” Neal starts to pass it off. “Cut the crap,” Pierce tells him. “You're not really here to sell the jades together, are you?”

Neal stares at her, forcing himself not to change his expression and keep with it. Neal gives a short laugh, “Where'd you get the from?”

“So where's the rest of your cops, hmmm?” She continues, not falling for his charade. “The one in the bar was one of them-”

Neal mentally curses. ' _So Chuck_ had _unwillingly gave it away._ '

“And the rest is no where to be seen.” Pierce's expression turns hard. “I'm leaving.”

When she turns, Neal grabs her shoulder. “Do you really have to do these types of things? You could be _better?_ ”

Pierce scoffs. “Easy for you to say, you're a _man._ I have to stick with what I have,” she turns. “HELP!” She screams at the top of her lungs, acting desperately.

The two construction workers from across the street stop what they're doing, looking at them. Their expressions turn fierce, they start sprinting toward the street to grab at him. Neal's forced to let go of Pierce, letting her run free.

“Wait, no, she's-” Neal attempts to explain but fails badly. ' _Darn it, Chuck gave me away._ '

“I got it from here boys!”

Neal sighs out of relief when he hears Peter's voice.

The construction workers disperse when they see Peter flash his badge. When they are gone, Peter stands right in front of him, arms crossed. “What was that.” Peter said, voice hard and in a scolding tone. “ _Who_ was that, Neal? And why have I never heard of those “Bryce” alias?”

Neal shakes his head, “Peter, I _don't know_ who that is. Or this “Bryce” guy he mentioned.” Neal had to lie. He couldn't allow for Peter to know about Bryce and Chuck.

 

But judging by the look Peter was giving him, he was going to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a day late again, I was at a convention all day.


	16. Chuck 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 11/12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

 Ever since last night, Chuck had gone real quiet.

He didn't know what to do. Bryce had rejected him and he didn't know why. Chuck was too broken-hearted to realize any logic in that situation. At first, all he could think about is the relief-turned-pain when he saw Bryce.

Chuck had been so relieved and ecstatic when he saw him. And those were major understatements. Chuck didn't have words to describe how intense his feelings were. And when Bryce rejected him? It made a complete 180.

“Chuck?” A hesitant voice sounded while he could feel someone poking his shoulder. “You okay buddy?”

“Fine,” Chuck mumbled into the cushion.

It was late at night the next day, and both Casey and Sarah were already asleep. Chuck was still up because he was having trouble sleeping since then. And Morgan had decided to stay up when he realized that Chuck was having trouble sleeping.

“Seriously though,” Morgan insisted, just staring up at the ceiling. He truly knew when his friend was troubled. “What's wrong? Ever since you came back from getting dinner yesterday, you seemed a bit off.”

Chuck stayed silent. He was pondering on whether or not he should tell Morgan. He's told him about some secrets and feelings of his to Morgan, and what he was troubled by was similar to those.

“Promise you won't tell anyone?” Chuck mumbles, facing away from Morgan, buried under the blankets. “Especially Casey and Sarah, they can't know.”

“Yeah,” Morgan tilts his head to look at the back of Chuck's head. “Of course. So what's been bothering you?”

Chuck says nothing for a few moments. “I saw Bryce.”

Morgan was silent. Chuck assumed that he was still trying to process everything.

“I know what you're thinking,” Chuck sighed. “That it wasn't him but I _know_ it was him, Morgan!” Chuck turned to face Morgan. “I saw him around town _several times._ And I _stood_ right in front of him, and I talked to him. He looks just like Bryce _and_ sounds like him too,” Chuck sits up to look at Morgan, an intense look in his eyes. “Same face, same height, same hair, same eyes! Although,” Chuck notes. “His hair was a bit shorter and he was acting a little different, but _it was him._ I _know it._ ”

Morgan was now sitting. He looked a bit hesitant. “Chuck,” he said slowly.

“It was him Morgan,” Chuck said desperately. “I know you don't believe me but it was Bryce, and I-” Chuck cuts himself off, feeling his eyes water. “Seeing him was such a relief,” grief filled his voice. “And I was so happy, but-” tears streamed down his face. “He rejected me, Bryce rejected me.” He buried his face into his hands, just letting the tears flow. “Bryce acted as if I didn't exist. I told him I missed him but he ignored me.” Chuck was breaking down.

Morgan said nothing, just shifting on the fold up to get closer.

Chuck assumes that he was leaning closer to hug him. But jolts back but when he feels a sharp sting at the side of his head. Out of shock, Chuck's tears stop as he drops his hands, looking up at Morgan, he wears a hurt look. “Morgan,” he sounds offended. “What?”

Morgan has a determined look on his face. “You're really going to give up this easily?” He continues when Chuck doesn't say anything. “The Chuck _I knew_ wouldn't give up this fast. When he gets to something, he goes all the way.”

Hearing that from Morgan hardly changed his mind. “Bryce _rejected_ me Morgan, why even bother?”

Morgan sighs. He slaps his hand onto his shoulder and shakes his head. “Chuck, Chuck, Chuck,” he stops shaking his head and stares straight at him. “You saw him in public, ever considered that he was trying to keep a low profile?”

Chuck stays silent, eyes widening slightly in realization.

“Come on,” Morgan attempts to encourage him. “You said he “died” a year ago and that he's came back from the dead before. And according to _you,_ the head honchos think he's dead. Maybe he's trying to keep a low profile so he isn't found out.”

 

Chuck doesn't do anything, thinking through what Morgan said. ' _That makes sense._ ' “You're right Morgan,” Chuck stares Morgan, face still tear-stained. He's silent a little before a smile is on his face again. “There's still hope. I can still see Bryce.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this is bad. And that it was late. Again.


	17. Neal 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

 After Chuck interfered with his mission, they still managed to catch Pierce. Neal had lured her into Peter's house, catching her off guard by maxing the volumes on his electronic devices. After that, they didn't have much cases that required them to go out onto the field. Which also meant that he had time to start looking for Bryce.

The thing is though, he didn't know where to start. Mozzie was the one who usually fond people but he couldn't ask him to find Bryce. So he had to do it himself. He had a plan to find him, it would take awhile, a long while.

Neal had to physically sneak into each building and look at their list of inhabitants. Then he'd have to shorten the lists by crossing off the ones that are obviously not Bryce. For example, by gender, race, and age. And after he narrowed it down, he had to look at each name and check out whether or not it was Bryce. He'd have to investigate each person.

By the time Neal had narrowed it down to three names, by doing all that he did, including investigating each person, a five days had passed.

A few things happened.

Neal had been left alone by Chuck for a day, but the next, Chuck had continued to follow him. And this time, he seemed to be actively searching him out. So it had taken Neal quite a bit to avoid being seen by him again. And during one of those times Chuck had been following him, he considered on showing Chuck Bryce's letter but decided not to, as Bryce may have been alive. So there was no point.

Something else that happened is that he and Peter got a new case that required him to be out on the field. So he was no longer able to actively search for Bryce. He took some time off during the night to keep crossing names off that list. And that mission they got didn't seem like much at first.

That was until Matthew Keller had shown up. He had been Neal's rival for a long time. And Keller had challenged him to a match. It was to forge the unforgable, a legendary wine bottle.

Anyways, back to the three names.

The names were of people who he was unable to find. It seemed like they didn't get out much. So Neal had to go back to their apartments and investigate them, risking getting caught. He had to ask the other tenants about that person.

The first person, Charles Cooper was a recluse. No one knew anything about him except that he hadn't been there too long. It seemed like he never went out at all. His neighbors said that he had his groceries delivered.

The second man, Denver Benington, lived there since he was eighteen. So that couldn't be Bryce.

The third man, Bruce Walcott, he hadn't been able to find much on either. He was a secretive man, but wasn't a recluse like Charles.

 

Neal was getting closer and closer to Bryce each time. And he had a feeling he'd be seeing him soon.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Take this as an apology for having the last three be late. It's short though, sorry. So who do you think It is? Charles, Denver, or Bruce?


	18. Neal 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

 “Charles Cooper.”

Neal smiles at the open door, revealing the man standing in front of him. “Brunet is a good look on you,” he says jokingly. Despite that, he can't help but have a big smile on his face. It's been over a year since he's seen him.

“It's been awhile,” the other steps to the side, allowing Neal entrance. “How long did it take you to find me?”

The door clicks closed and Neal is looking around the room, taking in his surroundings. It was one way to know how Bryce changed over the year. Neal was pleasantly shocked by how cluttered the room is. Bryce was a secretive person, and seeing how much things he had was a bit of a shock. Neal assumed that because of his spy life, he didn't want any personal things on display. And Neal's now guessing because he's “out,” Bryce can now reveal who he truly was.

And all that seemed to be around the room are his hobbies and a few photos.

“It took longer than it should have,” Neal confessed. “But it wasn't a problem.”

Bryce steps up to him giving Neal a hug.

“I've missed you Neal,” Bryce whispers. “It's been too long.”

“I've missed you too.”

Neal opens his eyes. When they landed on some specific photos, Neal is pulled back into the reality of things. He pulls out of the hug, staring Bryce in the eyes.

“So, how has life been to you?” Bryce lets go of Neal, stepping away from him. He walks to his couch, expecting Neal to follow before motion him to sit down. “Do you want a drink?”

“I could go for some wine,” Neal flashes him a smile.

Bryce looks at him with an odd look before shaking his head and wearing a fond smile. “It's a bit early, don't you think?” He asks once he's in the kitchen. He takes out a bottle of wine, a cork screw and wine glass. “I was saving this just for you. I knew you'd find my eventually?”

““Eventually”?” Neal mocks offense. “Not soon? You underestimate me, Bryce.”

Bryce chuckles as he pours Neal a glass. He corks back the bottle before grabbing himself a beer.

Neal smirks, as Bryce hands over the glass, sitting down next to him to take a sip. “You're telling me that it's early but you're also helping yourself,” Neal takes a sip.

“But you're forgetting wine has more alcohol than beer,” he sets down his bottle onto the coffee table. “I can hold my alcohol just fine, Neal.”

Neal shrugs, smiling wide before taking a final sip before setting his glass down too. He shifts in his seat, facing his body toward Bryce. He digs through his jacket and takes out the dark, silver disk.

Bryce seems to look a bit surprised. “You had that in your jacket the whole time?”

Neal nods, unlocking the disk with the flashdrive-key. “Pretty smart of you for having a message for me in the letter,” he comments, taking out the letter. “Although, it was a pretty obvious message. Anyone could have seen it.” Neal hands the letter over to Bryce.

“That's assuming they were able to find the message in the paper, _and_ decode it,” Bryce grabs it from him, looking over the letter. He sighs a little fondly. “I had to rewrite this letter about a hundred times. It took me awhile to get it right. Even after, I still needed to edit it over the years.”

Neal sees Bryce falter when he was reading the letter. “Bryce?” Neal asks.

Bryce gives him a smile, but Neal knows it's fake. “I'm fine,” he lies, looking up at his brother.

Neal decides to say nothing, just looking at him with a doubtful look.

“You still didn't answer my question,” Bryce looks up from the letter, looking a bit emotional, but it was obvious he was trying to hold it on.

Neal watches him carefully. “What question?”

“The question where I asked you “how has life been treating you”? You haven't answered it yet, and I'm still waiting for-” Bryce was wearing a false smile, trying to cover up his true feelings.

But Neal was his brother, the closest person to Bryce other than someone else of course. “Chuck's in New York City,” Neal confesses.

Bryce stops himself, staring at Neal with a frozen expression. He's like that for a few more seconds before his face falls, still silent. He parts his lips as if to speak, but is unable to get out any words.

“And he thinks I'm you.”

Bryce still says nothing, his expression now crestfallen. There was pain and hurt showed in his face and he was unable to hide it.

“Are you going tell hi-”

“No,” Bryce forces out.

Neal is shocked. ““No”?”

“No,” Bryce says a little softer. “No, it's a bad idea. It's better off like this, Chuck can't know.”

Neal looks at Bryce. Knowing how much Bryce cares for Chuck, how much he _loves_ him, it must be painful for him to say that. But he just didn't understand. “Why not, Bryce? He's _here_ and you have another chance to be with him.”

Bryce sighs, licking his lips as he swallows hard. “No Neal,” he shakes his head. He pauses, leaning over to grab his beer, downing the whole bottle before standing up. “I'm getting another one.”

Neal stands up, grabbring Bryce's wrist to stop him. “Chuck _misses_ you, Bryce,” Bryce turns to look at him, his expression not changing. “I saw him, I saw _Chuck_ when he confronted me. I _misses_ you _so much._ Why don't you want to see him again?”

“It's not that I don't,” Bryce tells him, emotion filling his voice. “Because I want to see him _so badly,_ Neal. There aren't enough words to explain how much I love him, and seeing him again would just be so-” Bryce stops when tears start to fall. He stops, taking in a long breath. “I would love to see Chuck again.”

“Then why don't you?” Neal asks, letting go of his wrist.

Bryce sighs, “Please don't make it harder than it has to be.”

“Bryce,” Neal pushes further. “Just help me understand and I'll stop.” Neal sighs when Bryce doesn't say anything. “What am I supposed to tell Chuck? You know he's not going to stop.”

“Do what the letter says,” Bryce mumbles, turning away. “Just show him the letter.” Bryce walks back into the kitchen, taking out another beer.

 

Neal sighs, looking at the back of Bryce's head with disappointment. He had expected more from him. Neal still didn't understand why Bryce was choosing not to tell Chuck he was alive. It made no sense to him at all and there would be more hurt than what was necessary. 


	19. Peter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

Peter had noticed that Neal had been a little off since two days after he had been challenged by his rival, Matthew Keller. Peter had no idea why Neal would be acting weird if it weren't for Keller.

Peter had a feeling that it was because of Bryce and Chuck. But he wasn't sure. He hadn't been able to find anything on these two names. And because Keller challenged Neal, that was taking up most of his time.

Ever since two days ago, Neal's mind seemed to be elsewhere. He would always be in a rush and try to get off work as fast as possible. Peter asked him if it was about Keller but Neal just brushed it off, saying it was about something else.

What was that “something else”?

Peter didn't know.

Throughout the meeting, Peter had his eye on Neal. He silently observed him, noting the differences between his usual self and his current self. He seemed more rigid and tense than usual.

While Neal had stared at the screen, he didn't seem to be actually paying attention.

In retrospect, Peter now realizes that Neal's been a little off for quite awhile. Maybe even since he got out of prison. Maybe it was because he was taken by that group? That seemed likely. Although, why had it been greatly affecting him only now?

So if there was something else, than what could it possibly be?

Peter's alarmed when Neal shifts in his seat. He does so very subtly. Neal is now glancing down below the table, seeming to be doing something. Perhaps his phone.

Peter glares his eyes slightly at him.

Neal seems to now be finishing up, and now pocketing whatever he was using into his pocket. He looks back up at the presenter, seemingly a little more relaxed.

Whoever Neal was talking to, must have been very important.

 

And Peter had a feeling that finding Chuck and Bryce would relieve some confusion. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late. And sorry this is short.


	20. Chuck 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

 “Aw man!”

Chuck looks up from the brochure he's looking at. Since there two weeks started about two days ago, they had not done much. Devon and Ellie had to go back to Burbank, but Chuck, Morgan, Casey, and Sarah were able to stay. Casey had questioned why they needed to stay in New York City instead of going somewhere else but had been outvoted by Chuck and Morgan. Sarah didn't mind either way. But while they stayed in NYC, they didn't do much. Just slept in most of the time and went to Lady Liberty, which had taken a whole afternoon to get to. The previous day, the just rested after having that week long mission.

“Something wrong Morgan?” Chuck calls out.

“Yeah,” Morgan says, slightly disappointed. “You know that wine-tasting I pointed out on our plane ride?”

“What about it,” Chuck stands up and walks over to where Morgan is, leaning over to look at what he's looking at too.

“It's a private party,” Morgan sighed. He said nothing for a few moments before Chuck speaks again.

“Hey,” Chuck points at the “Contact Us” section. “That's where they're holding it. Maybe we can go over there today and ask them about it?”

Morgan brightens up. “Yeah! Let's go now!” Morgan stands up immediately but is shoved back down in his seat.

“Hold on buddy!” Chuck has his hand on Morgan's shoulder. “It seems to me that this is Fancy Shmancy party where rich people go to.” Chuck motions to the both of them. “We're _severely_ under-dressed.”

Morgan frowns. “I didn't bring any of those types of clothes.”

“Hold on,” Chuck starts to look for his bag. “I think I packed an extra shirt and tie.”

“You're a life-saver,” Morgan says with relief.

Chuck pulls out two dress-shirts and a tie. He looks down at himself. ' _Jeans and Black Chucks should be fine over there, right?_ ' Chuck shrugs it off. ' _Should be okay._ '

“It's a bit big on you but it should work,” Chuck hands over the shirt, keeping the tie for himself.

“Great,” Morgan says excitedly. “I'm gonna go change,” he exclaims, rushing to the bathroom already.

Chuck signs, deciding to just wait for his turn. He didn't want to change out in the middle of the living room, where anyone could walk in on him.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Chuck and Morgan had left right after shouting out their question to Sarah and Casey if they wanted to go to the wine testing.

“ _Why not?”_ Sarah agreed.

“ _Absolutely not,”_ Casey, like the buzz-kill that he is, answered.

Chuck and Morgan had just shrugged at each other before leaving. They were going to make Casey go whether or not he liked it, which he didn't, since they were on vacation.

Before going to where the wine tasting would be, they deciding to get an early lunch. Due to their pay - which Chuck _still_ couldn't believe was a very high number – from the government, they were able to go to a more expensive place. But they didn't really mind fast food, which they had preferred, but decided to do something new.

So, they settled on a four star restaurant. A place that had a very high reputation, but not too stuck up.

This place had dishes they mostly never heard of. But they both decided to get something that looked like some sort of pasta and some fruit drink.

“Maybe we should have just gone to a pizzeria,” Chuck hesitantly says a while after handing the waiter their menus.

“Nonsense!” Morgan insists, looking over the small dessert menu that was always on the table. “It's nice to do something new now and then.” He looks up for a moment. “Even if we ate, we can't say “Hey, I tried this and hated it!””

Chuck laughs at his statement, Morgan chuckling along too.

Chuck steals a glance at the dessert menu. “Anything good on that?”

Morgan nods excitedly, turning the menu around so it faces Chuck. “They have _fried ice cream_.”

“Morgan, they have that back in California too.”

“So? This is a _New Yorker's_ fried ice cream,” he smiles as if it's obvious. “There's a diffidence.”

“What's the difference then?” Chuck cocks an eyebrow at him.

Morgan shrugs. “I don't know, that's why we find out.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

After having their early lunch, Chuck and Morgan rested for a bit at the park.

Right after, they proceeded to walk to the wine-tasting place. There seemed to be quite a few bit of people, but had managed to get someone to answer their questions.

“So even if we just want to watch the bidding,” Morgan asks after their previous questions were answered. “We _have_ to bid too?”

“Yes,” she answers politely. “Were stream the auction, so you're welcome to watch that. We also have the wine-tasting in a few days. It's open to the public, but you have to pay for admission.”

While they were asking questions, mostly Morgan, Chuck had been looking around the building, taking in the surroundings. It was nice and wide. Polished wooden floors and beige walls.

When Chuck looks back at the lady answering their questions, he sees someone in the corner of his eyes. When he looks back, no one is there. But he could have sworn it was someone with black, wavy hair, in a nice suit. Maybe around six feet.

“Bryce,” Chuck whispers.

“Sir?” The lady questions him, both her and Morgan looking at him.

“So sorry, I think I left my dish washer going,” Chuck stumbles out a pathetic excuse, standing up to rush after the figure that had just left the building. He could faintly hear Morgan rushing to say “What he _means_ to say is that we had previous engagement to get to that we _totally_ forgot about.”

Chuck is out the building, Morgan close behind him. He's looking up and down the street for Bryce. When he sees him a few buildings down, he starts to sprint after him, fulling aware that people are staring at him weirdly.

“Chuck!” Morgan shouts after him.

But he doesn't stop, he continues running after him. When he turns the corner, he feels his shirt tugged back, and he can't help but shout at the person who stopped him. “ _What!_ ”

“Whoa, buddy.”

It had been Morgan. “Sorry about that, I just-” Chuck mumbles, looking after where Bryce had went. Chuck gave a doleful sigh. Nothing. “I just thought I saw Bryce.”

Chuck didn't like mentioning his sights of Bryce around the city. He knows what Morgan thinks about it. Chuck knows that Morgan doesn't believe him, despite him wanting to. Chuck knows the discreet pitied looks Morgan gives him.

“Hey,” Morgan says weakly. “Like you said Chuck, it was his job, he's just _really_ good at getting away.”

Chuck shakes his head. “Forget it, it's stupid,” he starts his way home, which so happened to be the way Bryce had went.

“It's not stupid,” Morgan says softly, following Chuck.

“I know you don't believe me,” Chuck replies, catching him off guard. “You don't have to keep pretending that you don't think it's idiotic and foolish of me for thinking Bryce is still alive.”

Morgan sighs. “I don't think, Chuck.”

Chuck gives him disbelieving look.

“I may not believe you,” Morgan confesses. “But believe me, I'm supporting you the _whole way_ and I _don't_ think what you're doing is idiotic or foolish. Desperate?” Morgan hesitates. “Yes, but,” he says in a rush, still getting a sigh out of Chuck. “ _Not_ idiotic or foolish.”

While Morgan is telling him that he doesn't think it's idiotic or foolish, Chuck is starting to think that of himself. It was pretty foolish of him to think Bryce was alive after seeing him die in his arms. And it was pretty idiotic of him to keep chasing after who he thinks is Bryce, even after he that same person said he wasn't Bryce.

 

Maybe he should just stop. It's what Casey and Sarah and Ellie would tell him. It's what _anyone_ would tell him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no! Chuck's losing hope D:   
> And on a side note, this is finally on time and longer than 1k!


	21. Bryce 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Shocking, Bryce is finally having a POV.

A day or two passed since Neal had visited him, Bryce wasn't sure, he didn't actually pay attention. He stopped paying attention to the date a long time ago. Although, Bryce did occasionally check on the news and Chuck every once in awhile.

After being in that room for almost a year, it got boring. Even after just a week, Bryce got tired of being enclosed in that room. He wasn't used to being in one area for long periods of time. He used to back in college, but that was before the CIA, and he had Chuck with him.

Now he has no one. Just him and his memories.

Bryce looks around his bedroom for what must have been the dozenth time that day. It was too personal. If one of his enemies had found him, they'd learn too much about him. Including about the two people that he treasures the most, Neal and Chuck.

All the pictures of him and Neal are old, very old. They're from before college, before Neal had left.

Bryce looks at his bedside table. There were two picture frames. He picks up the one nearer to the wall, smiling bitterly at it.

It was of him and Chuck in their college years. Bryce had managed to get a storage area hidden away and placed most of his things there. He had kept two pictures in the silver container that Neal had, just in case something happened to his storage. Luckily, nothing bad happened. And he had been able to keep all the memories he made with Neal and Chuck.

And the picture he had in his hands happened to be one of the first times he and Chuck had managed to get their hands on a case of beer. Chuck had been reluctant at first but eventually joined in. Later, Chuck had been taking a drunken picture of them. It wasn't the best picture, but Bryce had loved it anyways.

It gave Bryce some relief from his heartache. At times, Bryce would be mentally judging j=himself from how creepy he is by doing that, but he would still do it.

Bryce looks at the picture.

Chuck had decided to push himself against Bryce, pressing his lips against his. They had both been sitting down, but Bryce had been pressed against the headboard. And the time this picture was taken, Chuck had his hand on Bryce's cheek, and Bryce's arms were wrapped around Chuck's waist.

Bryce barely remembered that at all. All he remembered is waking up with Chuck in his arms. And being slightly uncomfortable in... _that_ region of his body.

Chuck wanted to brush off the whole experience altogether, flushing a bright red.

Bryce agreed, but he had been hurt by it. They had just been friends that time. But Bryce had wanted more.

Chuck slowly became one of the two most important people in the world to him. It even started long before he wanted more, when they were just close friends.

Bryce had started to drop hints, hints to Chuck that he liked him. But then Jill came. And Bryce had to accept the fact that Chuck wouldn't want him like that. Not like it mattered anyway, the CIA soon followed.

So Bryce was forced to keep Chuck at arm's length while at the same time, keeping him close so he wouldn't lose him.

Even after having to do what he did at Stanford, doing what made Chuck ultimately hate him, he never stopped. Bryce still loved him all that time. He had hung to all the memories they had together. And while Bryce wanted to check up on him, he couldn't. Doing that would risk revealing Chuck to the organization once again and also Bryce's enemies.

So when Bryce saw Chuck again when he was revived, he'd been ecstatic. He had wanted to be close to him once again, relive their Stanford days. Maybe even become the “more” he wanted back in Stanford.

But all hopes had been crushed when he saw the way Sarah and Chuck look at each other. And the fact that Chuck still hated Bryce played a huge factor.

But that didn't stop Bryce from wanting to be around him. Sure it would hurt seeing them together, but he'd still be near him. That's what was most important to him.

“ _What do you mean “I can't be here”?”_ Bryce remembers his conversation with General Beckman and Director Graham.

“ _It means that I won't assign you to Burbank. You would be in the way of getting the asset to trust Walker and Casey.”_

“ _We can't have that, Agent Larkin,”_ Director Graham emphasizes. _“He needs to put his trust in us.”_

Bryce had wanted to explode at them, yell “SO is that all he is to you? And _asset?_ ” But Bryce kept himself composed.

“ _And Larkin,”_ General Beckman continued. _“Also understand that you can't be near the asset, not now, not ever. You'll only distract him. And it wouldn't do any of us good if he were to die.”_

Logically, Bryce knew that she was just saying that to trick him into doing what they want.

“ _I understand.”_

But he still gave in, fearing the worst for Chuck.

 

So he stayed away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late.


	22. Chuck 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. I'd apologize for skipping Friday's and being late for Sunday but I'm starting to doubt whether or not people are still reading this.

Ever since Chuck saw who he thought was Bryce at the wine-testing a few days ago, Chuck was slowly accepting the fact that it wasn't Bryce. He was long dead, Chuck was just seeing a look-alike.

Chuck was just desperate to see Bryce again, there's _no way_ that's Bryce. Or at least that's what Chuck keeps telling himself.

It's a way to not keep his hopes up.

“What do you want to do today?” Morgan pokes Chuck in the shoulder, who is just watching tv.

“I thought we all decided on walking around the city today,” Chuck mumbles, keeping his eyes on the screen.

“Yeah but that's at like 11,” Morgan whines. “It's only 9 30!”

“You could always go back to sleep,” Chuck suggests. “You're up unusually early lately.”

Morgan shakes his head. “I'm up and ready to go, Chuck! We can't just _stay_ here, we're on _vacation_ so let's go _vacate_ this room and do something!”

“How about some breakfast?" Chuck gives in, turning the tv off. He stands up, facing Morgan as he awaits his answer.

Morgan shrugs, “It's better than nothing. Now let's go!”

-.-Two Fold-.-

Morgan had somehow found this place that made breakfast crépes. There was a wide variety to choose from, even other foods too, for all meals of the day.

The thing is though, the place is small. Small enough for just the kitchen and counter area, meaning that they'd have to go somewhere else to eat it.

“I saw a park on the way here,” Morgan suggests. “What about there?”

“What about a cafe?” Chuck suggests. “I mean, we only got crépes, no drinks.”

“Okay,” Morgan nods. “Where to?”

“Uh,” Chuck looks off down the street, searching for something. “That, way?” Chuck says unsurely. “We'll find one eventually.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

Fortunately, when they found a cafe, they had been allowed to bring the crépes in and eat it. As long as they bought something other than drinks too.

“Oh _man,_ ” Morgan moaned, practically drooling at the crépes. “This looks _delicious._ ”

“Can't wait to start eating it,” Chuck mumbles, grabbing his fork to start.

Chuck and Morgan ate while they awaited their coffee and banana cream pie.

“Who knew crépes would be _this_ good,” Morgan comments in between bites.

“People who had crépes before,” Chuck jokes before continuing to eat.

A moment after, the waitress comes. “Here are your coffees and pies,” she places one of each in front of them. “Do you need anything else?”

“Do you have any cream for the coffee?” Chuck asks her, not needing to ask for sugar, as it was already on the table.

“Of course,” she nods, smiling. “Let me go get that for you.”

Chuck takes a break from his crépe and eats some of the pie. He smiles at the waitress for the container of milk, without knowing that he had some whip cream on his cheek.

She giggles without commenting. “Enjoy,” she says before turning to leave.

Chuck looks back at Morgan who was staring at him, oddly. “You got a bit of-” Morgan cuts himself off, motioning to his own cheek.

Chuck frowns slightly, taking a napkin to wipe his cheek. When he looks at the napkin, Chuck turns a little red, seeing a bit of whip cream.

-.-Two Fold-.-

After having breakfast, some time had passed. So it had been almost 10 20 when they were done. With 40 minutes left, Morgan and Chuck decide that a detour back to the hotel would suffice.

Although, when they had taken a short break at a park bench, Chuck swore that he was seeing things again. At first, he decided to ignore it.

“Seriously,” Morgan says, looking around. “What are you looking at?”

“It's nothing,” Chuck stutters, trying his hardest not to look again.

“But you keep looking somewhere and it's- see you're doing it again!”

Chuck glances back at Morgan, flushing slightly. He'd been trying to accept the fact that it was just a Bryce look alike but it was hard when that same person was just standing there, staring at him. It was pretty unnerving. Chuck just brushed it off as him looking at someone else, but he couldn't keep doing that when no one was around them.

“I'm not,” Chuck says weakly.

When Morgan gives him a look, Chuck gives in.

“Don't look but,” Chuck hesitates. “I think I see Bryce again,” Morgan wears a weird look. “Or at least someone who looks like him.”

“Are you _sure_ that's him?”

“ _Yes!_ ” Chuck nods furiously. “He's been standing there for-” Chuck stops himself when he sees Bryce motion toward him. Chuck is silent, still staring at him. When Bryce nods, Chuck stands up and Bryce steps out of view, urging Chuck to follow him.

“Wha- where are you going, Chuck?” Morgan asks, his gaze following him as Chuck rushes after Bryce. “Chuck?” He asks, standing up. I have to do this Morgan,” Chuck glances back to see Morgan starting to follow him. “ _Alone!_ ”

Morgan stops. “What am I supposed to tell Sarah and John?” He shouts after him.

“Make something up,” Chuck calls back, his eyes back on where Bryce was, sprinting after him.

Chuck stops at where Bryce stood earlier. He looks up and down the street for where Bryce could have gone. He sees Bryce standing at another corner, waiting for him. When Bryce sees that Chuck has noticed him, he turns the corner, making Chuck run after him.

It goes on and on until Chuck sees Bryce enter a house. A _big_ house.

Chuck pauses to catch his breath, keeping his eyes on the house. He rushes to the house, reaching for the door knob, but doesn't get the chance to touch it because it opens.

“Mister Bartowski?” A maid asks.

“Yeah,” he says reluctantly. ' _Has Bryce_ really _been living here all along?_ _Has Bryce been living in a_ mansion, _all this time?_ '

Chuck steps inside, looking around the room. It was extremely fancy. ' _Is this all his?_ '

“He is upstairs,” the maid continues before walking off.

Chuck smiles slightly, nodding at her before turning around to face the room. Chuck approaches the stairs, a bit hesitant. The stairs are giant and Chuck feels as if his heart would beat right out of his chest.

Chuck takes his first step up he stairs and slowly builds his courage to continue climbing. To reach the top, to reach _Bryce._

When Chuck is at the top, he sees a partially open door at the end of the hallway. Chuck assumes that where Bryce is so he approaches it.

“Bryce?” Chuck calls out. He reaches out to push the door, gently swinging it open.

Chuck gulps nervously, seeing the figure he's been chasing after for some time.

He's just standing there, leaning against the table with a smile, his hat and jacket resting on a chair.

“Hi, Chuck.”

 


	23. Neal 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

Some time had passed since Bryce had told Neal that he refused to see Chuck. And in that time, Neal had been unable to find Chuck, since most of his time went to taking down Keller.

But Neal managed to get some time off and decided to go look for Chuck. Who knows, maybe Chuck would end up finding him like all the other times.

Turns out, Neal had been the one doing the finding, and Chuck was the one being found. Neal had found him at the park. He was about to approach him but stopped when he saw someone with him.

Neal sighs. He couldn't show himself to the other person because he and Bryce agreed long ago that they would keep their lives separate. But Neal _needed_ to show Chuck the letter.

At first, Neal thought he would have to wait a long time, but turns out, Chuck had already noticed him. But Neal didn't move. He just kept standing there, watching Chuck.

Chuck seemed a bit hesitant. It was a bit before Chuck kept his gaze on him. And with that, he turned the corner, hoping Chuck would follow him. When Neal stops and turns, he sees Chuck rushing down the street toward him.

Neal turns the corner again, walking down the street. It would take awhile before they would reach the house.

“Neal?”

Neal looks without stopping, seeing Mozzie in stride with him.

“Moz?”

“You _are_ aware that you're being followed, right?” He points out. “If you didn't,” he shrugged. “Then you would be losing your touch. Which I have _told_ you a hundred times that the-”

“I _am_ aware that I'm being followed,” Neal interrupts. “It's for a mission,” he half-lies.

“So I can't be here?” Mozzie asks cautiously.

“Sorry Moz,” Neal gives him an apologetic look. Having Mozzie there would cause his two lives to entwine.

“And this is me going,” Moz states. “See you later, Neal.”

“Later, Moz.”

When Neal stops again, it's the corner right before the house. He looks back again, checking if Chuck is still following him.

Neal looks forward again and starts to the house. When he enters, he stops a maid. “Excuse me?”

“Yes, Mister Caffrey?” She asks.

“It's just Neal,” he insists. “And I have a guest coming over, a Chuck Bartowski. Will you just send him up to my room?”

“Of course,” she nods.

“Thanks,” Neal heads up the stairs to wait for Chuck.

Neal enters the room, leaving the door partially open. He shrugs off his jacket as he approaches the table. He hangs it on the back of one of the chairs, along with his hat. Neal walks to the painting next to his bed and flips it open. He grabs the key and silver disk before going back to the table. He sets it down before leaning against the table.

“Bryce?” Neal hears Chuck call out.

The door opens.

“Hi, Chuck,” Neal greets, smiling.

Chuck's standing there, flabbergasted. He seems to be in completer shock, unable to say or do anything but stare. He swallows hard, eyes darting, taking Neal in.

“Bryce,” Chuck finally whispers. “You're,” Chuck pauses, smiling wide. “You're alive.” Chuck hesitantly takes a step before pausing again. He rushes to Neal. “I missed you-” Chuck rushes to hug Neal.

Although, Neal stops Chuck before he could.

“Bry-?”

The hurt look chuck wears almost breaks his heart.

“I'm sorry, Chuck,” Neal repeats the words he said at the bar. “But I'm still not Bryce.”

Chuck drops his hands, a look of confusion and pain on his face.

Neal steps to the side, revealing the silver disk and key. When Chuck approaches the table, a look of realization comes on his face, and Neal knows that Chuck knows what it is.

“That's-” Chuck starts to say, but stops himself, just approaching the table to tower over it.

Neal pulls up a chair for him and Chuck takes it, allowing Neal to push in the chair. Neal picks up the key, just showing it to Chuck.

Chuck stares at it for a moment, the look of hurt still on his face. Chuck grabs the key from him and click it into place. The disk slides open, revealing the passport, picture, and letter.

Chuck takes the passport first, like Neal had done. He opens it to check the picture, a gasp sounds when Bryce's face is revealed. He takes the pictures next.

Chuck smiles at the picture of him and Bryce. He seems to be a bit teary at staring at it. “He kept it,” he whispered, smiling a bit. He swipes his thumb over Bryce's face. His gaze lingers before picking up the other one.

It's the one of Neal and Bryce. He flips it over, reading the names. He looks up at Neal. “You two are twins? Bryce and Danny Larkin?”

Neal shakes his head. “It's Neal Caffrey now,' Neal tells him calmly. “But we are twins.”

Chuck says nothing, looking back down at the picture. He puts it back into the disk and picks up the letter.

Chuck almost tears up at the first line.

Neal stays silent the whole time. Having read the letter before, he knows what it says. And there's something in there that's sure to get a reaction out of him.

Chuck's expression hardly changes from his pained filled one until he got near the end.

Chuck chokes out a sob. His hands are shaking and tears are streaming down his face. “Me too,” Chuck mutters before letting out a whine. “Me too, Bryce. I love you, too.” Chuck's now breaking down in front of Neal and he doesn't know what to do except stare.

Neal sighs aloud at Bryce. ' _That idiot._ '

 


	24. Chuck 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 12. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

“ _Can I take this with me?”_ Chuck asked when he had finally calmed down.

Neal nodded willingly.  _“You can take the picture of the two of you if you want.”_

“ _Thank you,”_ Chuck mumbled, holding the picture and letter close to himself. He was extremely grateful to Neal, glad that he was able to have something of Bryce's. Chuck didn't even question that Neal had been  unusually willing to give the letter to Chuck. Neal. Bryce's brother.

Before leaving, Neal had explained to him that he wasn't allowed to talk about himself, something about him and Bryce deciding on a long time ago. 

“ _Neal?”_ Chuck mumbles. _“Can I,”_ he hesitated. _“It's been a very long time since I've seen Bryce. It'd help to talk to some one who was as close to him as I was,”_ he pauses. _“Can we keep in touch?”_

Neal had seemed to hesitate.  _“Sure.”_

Chuck smiled gratefully. He took a step forward, pulling out his phone. He pulls out the contacts before giving it to Neal, the other giving Chuck hi s own phone. They exchanged numbers before returning the phones. _“It was nice meeting you Neal,”_ Chuck mumbles  at the doorway.  _“And thank you for showing this.”_

“ _It was nice meeting you too,”_ Neal greets back.

“ _I'll see you later,”_ Chuck gives a small smile. 

“ _Bye, Chuck.”_

“ _Bye,”_ Chuck hesitated. _“Neal.”_

-.-Two Fold-.-

Chuck arrived twenty minutes after eleven, the time they were supposed  to leave to walk around the city. But Chuck was no longer in the mood. After seeing Neal and finding out Bryce is really dead,  Chuck didn't feel like doing anything. He had gotten his hopes up, thinking Bryce was alive, but it was only Neal. And Chuck was then informed that Bryce was dead. And had been all along. 

And that Bryce actually  _loved him._

Chuck sighs into the couch cushions,  his arms wrapped around a pillow. The letter and picture was tucked away in his suitcase, hopefully away from Casey's, Sarah's, and Morgan's prying eyes. 

B ryce loved him.

Bryce  _loved him._

Bryce had  _loved_ Chuck.

It just made everything worse. The fact that Chuck loves Bryce, and that Bryce loved him too. But Bryce had thought Chuck didn't return his feelings, that he liked _Sarah_ instead. It made Chuck feel horrible. If only he had realized it sooner. If only he had known Bryce wanted to stay. If only Chuck could have gotten him to stay. Maybe Chuck could have prevented his death.

Chuck buries his head into the pillow. He didn't even have the strength to cry.

He misses Bryce so much. They could have been something. But it was too late.

Bryce was already dead.

“There you are!”

Chuck barely lifts his head, turning slightly to look at who spoke.

Sarah was standing at the doorway, Casey and Morgan behind him. They did _not_ look happy. Casey had his arms crossed, a furious look on both Sarah and Casey.

“Where were you?” Sarah scolds.

What could he say? He couldn't tell them the truth. “I just took a walk,” Chuck lies unbelievably.

“That is one of the worst lies you've told,” Casey says firmly, marching toward him. “Worse than when you started. So,” he urges. “What were you really doing?”

“Going running.” He technically _did_ run. He just ran after Neal.

“You don't seem out of breath, nor do you seem to be sweating.”

“I took a shower.” Chuck didn't actually.

“Come on,” Casey said gruffly, grabbing Chuck's hand and forcing him to stand. “You _insisted_ on me going, so I _insist_ on you coming now. Tired or not, Bartowski, you're going.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

Chuck stayed oddly quiet.

The others had noticed but only Morgan said something.

Morgan subtly pulls Chuck a bit farther from Sarah and Casey so they could at least have  _ some _ privacy. “So what happened?” Moran asks softly, knowing what has Chuck so down, was most likely Bryce. 

Chuck just sighed, shaking his head. He couldn't tell him, he wasn't allowed to.

“Was it him?”

Chuck swallowed nervously. “It wasn't him,” and that was the truth. It really wasn't Bryce. “I was just an idiot. My feelings for him blinded me.” Chuck felt his eyes water.

“I'm sorry Chuck,” Morgan said truthfully. He looked as if he was itching it comfort him but he couldn't move. If he did, it would alert Sarah and Casey. “I know how much you wanted it to be him, and I was rooting for you. Even if I wasn't at first.”

“Thanks Morgan,” Chuck mumbles.

Chuck knew that he was being very obvious about it, but he couldn't help. There's no way that he would be able to hold in his feelings about what happened. Even if Chuck had trained a bit. It was hardly half the time but he still trained.

Chuck would have to go through this heartbreak and woe all over again. And it would surely affect his performances. Like reasoning, logic, and perception.

For example, hiding something from two government agents.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's on time! In my timezone anyway...


	25. Bryce 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 between episode 12 and 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame.

“I hope you're happy,” is the first thing Neal told Bryce when he walked into his apartment.

“Hi Neal,” Bryce said after a moment, locking his door and turning to join Neal at the couch. “Tell me why I should be happy,” he says sitting down, looking up at Neal.

“I did what you told to,” Neal said firmly, staring him down. “I showed Chuck the letter.” Neal pauses, seeming as if he's observing Bryce's reactions. “And now it's official, he thinks you're dead.”

It hurt.

But Bryce knew it was necessary.

“I _hope_ you're happy, Bryce,” Neal repeats sarcastically. “Because you just blew it. For the _both_ of you.”

Neal doesn't stay any longer. He walks out the door, giving Bryce one last look before slamming the door shut behind him.

Bryce sighs, burying his face in his hands. Of course it didn't make him happy. If being happy was what Bryce was aiming for, he would have already been dating Chuck a long time ago.

It made him miserable. Knowing that Bryce had a chance to be with Chuck again, but it wasn't allowed to be. Ever since he started, Bryce knew that all selfish wants of his would never be obtained. Even when he “retires.”

Because if there was ever a chance to be with him with no negative consequences, Bryce would jump at the chance. But no matter what, there would always be a consequence.

Even _if_ Chuck had gone up to him, begging Bryce to take him, he'd have to say no. Sure it would take all of Bryce's sheer will to do it, but Bryce would ultimately have to say no.

No one could know he was alive. Only Neal was allowed to. And not even the government knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my break, I'll try to update more often. This is short though.


	26. Neal 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 between episode 12 and 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

  * Right before heading out to the wine auction to take down Keller, Neal gets a call.



Peter gives him a dirty look. “This is no time for personal calls, Neal,” he says in a firm tone, crossing his arms. “Hang up.”

Neal subtly checks the name. It was Chuck. Neal looks back up at Peter. “It'll only be for a moment,” Neal says as he's pulling out his phone, standing up to step outside of the conference room. He glances at the wine bottle, that he and Mozzie made, for a moment before shutting the door.

Neal answers the call before leaning against the wall.

“Chuck?” He answers softly.

“Hey Neal,” Chuck answers. “Are you busy right now?”

“Well,” Neal pauses, glancing back at the conference room. “I'm at work right now, but it'll be fine.”

“Oh, you're at work?” Chuck asks, sounding embarrassed. “I'll just call later.”

“Chuck,” Neal says before Chuck can hang up. “It's fine, what do you need?”

“Well,” Chuck says shyly. “I was wondering if we could meet up? You know, to talk about Bryce?”

Neal hesitated. He still felt extremely bad for Chuck. While Neal knew Bryce was still alive and well, Chuck was there despairing over thinking he's dead. “Sure, when?”

“Is tonight too soon?”

“I'll be working late tonight,” Neal says honestly. Well, as honest as he can. He's not sure how long taking down Keller will take. “Is tomorrow night fine?”

“Yeah!” Chuck says a bit excitedly. There's a pause. “Say, uh, Neal?”

“Yes, Chuck?”

“Know any good places to meet up?” Chuck says, not really knowing where to go.

Neal chuckles. “Yeah, I'll text you the address later.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

Before heading out to meet Chuck the next day, Neal had informed Peter that he would be having dinner with a friend. Peter had been a bit suspicious but let him go early nonetheless.

The restaurant that Neal had informed Chuck of was more of a cozy cafe. It wasn't necessarily a cafe, it was little bit like a restaurant, so maybe a bit like a diner. It was simply named Rosie's.

Neal took a seat, asking for two cups of water, one for himself and a friend. He didn't have to wait very long for Chuck to show up.

Chuck is standing at the doorway, looking lost as he looks around the diner.

Neal raises his hand, giving him a small wave.

Chuck perks up a bit, rushing to get to Neal's table. “Hey,” he greets, sitting down. “You weren't waiting long, right?”

Neal shakes his head. “It's fine, I just got here myself,” he picks up a menu. “Want anything to drink?” He opens it up, scanning it. “I'll pay.”

“No, I will,” Chuck insists, grabbing a menu. “It's the least I could do.”

Neal glances up at Chuck, not moving his head. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Chuck nods. “I have a job that pays pretty well.”

Neal raises an eyebrow, closing the menu having already decided on what he wants. “Implying that I don't?” He says jokingly.

But Chuck didn't seem to get that. His eyes widened in panic. “Wha- no! I didn't mean- I'm sor- I don't-”

Neal laughs. “It's okay, Chuck, I was only pulling your leg.”

Chuck sighs out of relief. “Good, because I really thought I offended you. Because I didn't actually mean to! I just wanted to pay for the both of us! Again! I didn't mean to imply that I think you don't have a good job, which I _don't_ think at all!”

As Chuck rambled, Neal seemed to realize more and more why Bryce liked Chuck. Neal already knew some things from the stories Bryce would tell him. And even from just that, Chuck seemed liked a good person to love. And actually interacting with Chuck for real, Neal starts to _really_ see the appeal of Chuck. And Neal's glad for Chuck to be the object of Bryce's affections. Chuck is a good guy.

Too bad Bryce refuses to see Chuck.

“Chuck,” Neal decides to interrupt. “I'm not offended.”

“May I take your order?” The waiter steps in, holding a notepad and pen.

Neal looks up, not surprised, unlike Chuck. It seems that he has forgotten to actually look at the menu during his rant. While he looks at the menu. “I would like the mushroom and kale lasagna, with a glass of wine.”

“And I would like a barbeque burger with a glass of pepsi,” Chuck smiles, handing over the menu.

' _His tastes are similar to Bryce's,_ ' Neal notes to himself. Bryce and Neal's tastes are complete opposites. Neal likes more of the finer things in life while Bryce is fine with just about anything.

“Bryce seemed to be fine with just beer,” Chuck notes. “So was I.”

“I'm not much of a beer person,” Neal says honestly. He could be truthful with Chuck. Bryce trusts him with his life, so Neal could too.

After a short pause, Chuck continues. “What was Bryce like?” Chuck hesitates. “When he was younger?”

“Bryce?” Neal draws out, trying to remember what it had been like.

“It was just me, Bryce, our mom, and a family friend,” Chuck seemed surprised at this.

“Really? I didn't know that.”

“We never really told anyone,” Neal confesses. “But we always thought that our dad was a hero, he was a police officer. So we looked up to him.”

“Is that why he became a spy for the CIA?”

Neal rose an eyebrow.

Chuck widened his eyes. “Oh! Did- did you not know? Oh shoot,” Chuck curses himself.

“Chuck, no I knew, it's just,” Neal pauses. “I didn't know you knew he was a part of it.” Neal should have known. Of course Bryce would tell him, Chuck was one of Bryce's most trusted people, Neal being the other.

“Yeah,” Chuck nods. “I uh, I'm kind of a part of it.”

Neal flinches. Neal remembers Bryce's spur when he confessed what he did to protect Chuck.

“Something wrong?” Chuck asks.

Neal didn't know if he should tell him or not. “It's just,” Neal hesitated. “I remember Bryce, back when he was still at Stanford,” Neal watches Chuck's expressions. “During one of our meetings, Bryce had gotten hold of some beer and wine, drunken himself silly,” Chuck winces at hearing that. “Bryce drunkenly confessed to me that,” Neal stopped, reluctant to tell Chuck. If Chuck didn't know, Neal didn't want to upset Chuck. “That he kicked out you of Stanford to protect you from some organization, which I know assume is the government. Bryce hardly ever gets himself drunk so I knew he was very upset about something. He also told me that you hated him back then. So I assumed that's what he was so upset about.”

When Chuck's expression doesn't change, Neal continues. “You don't seem surprised.”

“Yeah,” Chuck says slowly. “I uh, I already knew. I found out awhile after I thought Bryce was dead, you know, from the newspaper.”

Something in Neal clicks. “You were there,” he trails off.

Chuck frowns slightly, tilting his head in confusion. “I was where?”

“At the-”

“Here's your food,” the waiter interrupts. He sets down the plates in front of them.

“Thank you,” Neal and Chuck greet before turning back to each other.

“I was where?” Chuck repeats.

“You were at his funeral.”

Chuck widens his eyes. “You were there too,” he pauses. “I thought I had seen Bryce then, that was you?”

Neal nods, “Yeah, sorry.” When they say nothing, Neal continues. “Where did we leave off at?”

“I uh, I think it was when I was saying I knew why Bryce did it. Why he had me kicked out.”

“Right,” Neal says slowly, trying to remember his train of thought. When he does, he remembers. “You know, every couple of months, Bryce and I would meet up. And the last time I saw him,” which had been recently. “He was under the impression that you still hated him.” Even when Neal saw him at Roosevelt Island, Bryce still thought Chuck hated him.

Chuck sniffs, shaking his head. “I don't,” he says emotionally. “I don't hate him, haven't for a long time.”

“I know,” Neal says, remembering when Chuck had confessed his love for Bryce when he read that letter. “But Bryce didn't.”

Chuck says nothing, and Neal doesn't say anything back.

“You still haven't told me what Bryce was like when he was younger,” Chuck mumbles, before taking a bite of his burger.

“Right,” Neal says, eating a bit of his food. “Bryce and I were close, we were each other's best friends, even though we liked different things. He'd always love these nerdy types of things-”

“I like those too,” Chuck grumbles.

“While I was more of an art person,” Neal decides to not comment on what Chuck said. “We both joined different sports even though we didn't like it ourself. If Bryce wanted to, I would. And if I wanted to, Bryce would join too.”

“So he's a pretty loyal guy.”

“A _very_ loyal guy,” Neal corrects. “He wasn't one for relationships either, he was more focused on his work and future. So when he told me that he fell in love, I was pretty shocked. Even more so when he told me that he wanted a relationship.”

Chuck had been quiet when Neal had spoken of Bryce. “When did he want a relationship?” He asked quietly.

“I'm not sure,” Neal says. “It was really early on during college.”

When Chuck didn't say anything, Neal looks at him warily. “Something wrong?”

Chuck shakes his head. “Nothing,” he mutters. He gives a weak smile. “How about we just finish our dinner? We can continue talking after.”


	27. Chuck 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 between episode 12 and 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

For the next few days, Chuck meets up with Neal. Either it be lunch, dinner, breakfast, or in Neal's free time, they discuss just about anything. But mostly about Bryce. It helps Chuck feel better about Bryce. About his passing away.

Chuck still misses him very dearly and he thinks it would take time to get over him, but talking with Neal helps. It was nice to talk about Bryce with someone that was as close to him and was still mourning the same as him.

So when Chuck returned from meeting Neal, Chuck was at a complete shock when he sees Casey and Sarah staring him down, with Morgan sitting shyly, a guilty look on his face.

“I'm sorry, Chuck,” Morgan says, voice dripping with regret and sorrow.

Chuck glances back at Casey and Sarah, a confused look on his face as he blindly locks the door behind him. “What is this, an intervention?” He half-jokes. When Casey and Sarah's faces don't change, he knows that this is serious. “Am I in trouble?” He says softly, approaching the cautiously.

Casey just raises a piece of paper and a letter. “What is this,” he says harshly.

“What?” Chuck is genuinely shocked. “I don't-”

“Do you takes us for idiots, Bartowski?”

Chuck winces. ' _Back to that again, I see._ '

“Why didn't you just tell us,” Sarah asks, voice a bit more gentler than Casey's, but still a little harsher than her usual.

“Tell you what-?” Chuck trails off when he glances at Casey again, who is flipping around the letter and picture to show him. Chuck's face falls when he sees that it's Bryce's letter and the picture of them. “You went looking through my stuff?”

“That _isn't_ the point,” Casey says in a frustrated tone.

“The point is, Chuck,” Sarah starts to explain. “Is that you went behind our backs to find this and didn't bother to tell us about it.”

Chuck sighs. He wanted to tell them but Neal said that he wasn't allowed.

“Yeah dude,” Morgan says. “I thought you trusted us, trusted _me._ ”

“I'm sorry, but I-”

“Why didn't you tell me Bryce was alive? That is so good for you!”

“-wanted to but I-” Chuck frowns, cutting himself off. “What?” He asks blankly. “I-I'm sorry, what did you say?”

“Cut the crap,” Casey states.

“We would've _helped_ you find Bryce,” Sarah says. “We miss him too-”

“Speak for yourself, Walker.”

Sarah gives him a look before looking back at Chuck. “At least _I_ miss him. I would've helped you out. Especially with how Morgan tells us how broken up you were over him.”

“Wait,” Chuck says, raising his hands in a “stop” gesture. “Go back to where you said that Bryce was alive?”

Bryce was alive? Chuck could hardly believe. He was _dead_ and Chuck knew it, even Neal knew it! Why had they been saying this?

“Oh please,” Casey scoffs. “Did you really think that wee wouldn't find the letter or picture? Or the hidden message in this Caffrey guy's – who is apparently his _brother_ – letter.”

Chuck frowns. Neal lied to him?

“Ca-can I see that?” Chuck asks, voice fragile. He approaches Casey and grabs the letter from him, desperately looking at it. His hands are shaking, lips are parted in desperation and shock, eyes wide.

Chuck mutters the words slowly. “Find, me, im in – _I'm_ in, new york. Roosevelt isle, _island._ ” Chuck stares at the letter, gripping it tightly. He could hardly breathe.

' _Bryce was alive?_ ' It's all Chuck could think about. For so long, Chuck had believed that Bryce was alive only to find out that it had been his apparent brother – who he had no clue about prior to meeting him, and that Bryce had been dead all along. But now they're saying Bryce was alive? He didn't want to get his hopes up again only to be disappointed.

“I'm guessing you didn't know,” Sarah says softly.

Chuck doesn't say or do anything for awhile before slowly shaking his head. He looks up at her. Then Casey and Morgan, and back at Sarah. “I didn't,” he whispers. “I didn't know.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

After Casey, Sarah, and Morgan left him alone with the letter, Chuck calls Neal.

“Chuck, I can't talk, I'm-”

“He's alive,” Chuck cuts him off softly. “Bryce is alive.”

There's a silence.

“Did you know?” Chuck asks desperately. Had Neal lied to him? Had he been keeping Bryce from him when he knew he was alive. Did Neal know where Bryce is? Has he been seeing him this whole time? _Why_ had Neal lied to him?

“He's alive?” Neal asks quietly.

“Yes,” Chuck replied a bit firmly. “Did you know? Did you know all this time?”

“No,” Neal sounds shocked, and he sounded genuine. “I didn't-” he seems to be choking on his sobs. “Chuck,” he says, voice shaking. “This _isn't_ funny.”

“It's not a joke, Neal,” Chuck's voice is a bit more softer. “Bryce is alive, he's _actually_ alive.”

“How did you find out,” he asks quietly.

“Well, uh,” Chuck trails off. “About that,” he says hesitantly. “My uh, my friends, you know the ones I told you about?”

“Yeah,” Neal says reluctantly.

“They, uh, they found the letter,” Chuck spits out. “And they know about you too. That you're related to Bryce.”

There's a pause. A long pause.

“Neal?”

“I gotta go, my boss is call me,” he says in a rush, hanging up.

Chuck stares at his phone, frowning. Eventually, he just shrugs, not caring too much because...

_Bryce Larkin is alive._

And he loves him.

They could _be_ something.

Chuck smiles at the thought of finally being able to do _things_ with Bryce.

After all, what could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short but it's getting there. To what is, in my opinion, the good part. Oh! And Happy Holidays! To me, it's Christmas Eve.


	28. Neal 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 between episode 12 and 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect. Warnings at the bottom.

“ _Shit,_ ” Neal cursed.

Neal rarely cursed out loud. He would only do that during desperate and extremely bad times. And that time was one of them.

Neal cursed under his breath again, starting to head back to his desk. He was agitated. He couldn't keep still but he hid it as just being eager to get up and do something. But Neal _needed_ to do something about it. Chuck's friends were going to find out about Bryce.

And while Neal still felt that Bryce was an idiot, he couldn't just let them find him about it.

When Neal could no longer take it, he stood up and marched over to Peter's office. He knocked on the door, still unable to keep still.

“Come in,” Peter sounded from inside. When he looks up, he sighs. “What do you want Neal?”

Neal closes the door behind him. “I know how this will sound to you, but-”

Peter sighs.

“May I go home early, today?”

Peter leaned back against his chair, crossing his arms. “And why should I do that?” He stared at Neal with a questioning look. “I've noticed you've been taking a lot of breaks lately.”

“It's important,” Neal says eagerly. “It's for a friend.” Neal _had_ to get to Bryce, by any means necessary.

“Uh huh,” he says with doubt. “Does this “ _friend_ ” of yours happen to be a certain glasses wearing, balding person?”

Neal shakes his head. “It's not Mozzie,” Neal replies. “And he'd be offended if he heard you say that.”

“But he _is_ balding and wearing glasses.”

“As Mozzie what say, “the truth hurts”,” Neal shrugs. “So may I?”

““May I”?” Peter quotes. “You must be desperate to go if you used “may I”.”

“Does that mean-” he trails off.

Peter sighs. “Fine.”

Neal smiles widely out of relief. “Thank you!” He rushes to Peter to hug him.

“Yeah, yeah,” Peter says, patting his back. “But I expect you to come in early tomorrow.”

“Anything!” Neal exclaims, letting go of Peter before rushing to leave.

On Neal's way out, he picks up his hat and places it on his head. He checks that he has everything before going over to Bryce's.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Once Neal reaches Bryce's apartment, he's knocking furiously on his door. He'd been in quite the rush to get there, that some people even gave him weird gazes.

The door opens.

“You have to leave,” Neal tells him, pushing his way into the room.

“I didn't know you'd be _that_ upset over me refusing to see Chuck,” Bryce jokes, locking the door behind Neal.

“I am.”

Bryce's expression falls. “What?”

“But that's not why I'm here,” Neal continues to search his room. He needed to find _something_ that could help with packing everything away; a box, suitcase, anything.

“Any reason why you're ransacking my apartment?” Bryce asks, still watching Neal, not making any move to stop him.

Neal stops in the middle of searching through one of the closets. He looks up at Bryce. “You know Chuck's friends?” He asks hesitantly.

Bryce's face falls, expression turning almost pale and reluctant. “Why?” He asks cautiously.

Neal sighs. Neal knew that Bryce wouldn't like this. “I gave Chuck the letter like you told me to, and they found it,” panic fills Bryce's expression. “They know you're alive.”

Bryce was speechless. He looked tense, very tense.

Clearly, being found out was affecting him a lot more than Neal originally thought.

“Why are you so broken up about Chuck finding out you're alive?”

Bryce stands there, not moving at all. His expression showed that he was fearful. _Bryce_ who had been part of the CIA, was fearful. Whatever it was, it must be _very_ bad.

“I made a _lot_ of enemies, Neal,” Bryce says

“And so have I,” Neal tells him. “And I've turned out fine.”

“But you haven't met the enemies _I_ made,” Bryce says darkly.

Neal stares at him in wonder. Neal has stolen from many people. Museums, private collectors, governments. But who could Bryce have crossed?

“There are several gangs around the world who want me dead, Neal,” he explains further. “Which also includes the Russian Mafia, the yakuza, and several groups in Mexico.”

Neal winces. He knew that you didn't want to cross people like them.

“And they're not the only ones after me.”

Neal hesitated, “What does that have to do with Chuck?”

“They'll do anything to get those who cross them,” Bryce says with a haunted tone. “And they don't care if the innocent gets caught in the cross fire.”

Neal goes pale. He knows what that means. It's the same reason why Bryce and Neal didn't want their lives mixed up. They didn't want the other to get hurt by their actions. Same goes for Chuck.

Bryce didn't want those groups after Chuck. And when Bryce said “anything,” he _meant_ anything. And that doesn't stop at torture, like what Neal had been through. And he'd gotten off easy, it could've been worse.

“I don't want that for Chuck,” Bryce tells him firmly. “He's too innocent and pure-hearted to be able to withstand that types of things. He's too soft and kind,” he speaks softly.

Neal knows that he doesn't mean it as an insult, that he means it in a good way.

“Then wouldn't being near Chuck be better?” Neal continues to convince him. “That way, you'd be able to keep an eye on him, protect him. Besides, he isn't alone, he has _two_ agents watching him, Sarah and Casey-”

“How do you know about Casey?” Bryce cuts Neal off, voice hard.

“What-?”

“ _How_ do you _know_ about, _Casey?_ ” Bryce repeats slowly, sounding a little angry, his expression showed it too. He started to slowly take a few steps toward Neal. “Have you been seeing Chuck?”

Neal raises an eyebrow at Bryce's reaction. He hadn't been this angry at him since Neal left home when he was 18.

“ _Neal,_ ” Bryce says firmly. “ _Have_ you been seeing _Chuck?_ ” Neal notices that Bryce's hands were clenching against his thighs as if he's trying to hold himself back.

Neal would have thought that Bryce was jealous if it weren't for Bryce holding himself back. He looks back at Bryce, noticing the anger in his eyes.

“I have been ensuring that no one sees me with Chuck,” Bryce explains slowly, trying to calm himself down. “So no one knows how much he means to me,” Bryce pauses. “I _swear,_ Neal, if you have been seeing Chuck-”

“What did you expect me to do, Bryce?” Neal cuts in. “Just _let_ Chuck suffer from missing you too much?” Bryce seemed a bit taken back. “Bryce, I couldn't let Chuck practically _drown_ himself in his tears.”

“He would've been-”

“You didn't see him, Bryce,” Neal tells him. “ _I_ did.” He pauses for emphasis. “You didn't see how plaintive he was. You could _see_ how depressed he was,” Neal's voice softens a bit. “Bryce,” he takes a short pause. “Chuck _misses_ you. I think it would be better if you just let him be with you. It would be better for the both of you.”

Bryce shakes his head a little, starting to tear up. “It won't be,” Bryce replies, collapsing against the couch.

Neal sighs at him. ' _You stubborn idiot._ '

“Please Neal,” Bryce says looking up at him with desperation. “You told me that they knew I'm here in Roosevelt island,” he pleads. “Help me. I don't want them to find me.”

Neal sighs. If Bryce was this desperate, then Neal should help him. “My landlady has a lot of rooms in her house,” Neal says hesitantly. “You're going to have to tell her who you are and that we're related, but she should allow you to rent a room there.”

“Thank you, Neal.”

“Yeah,” Neal mutters. He still thinks that Bryce should let himself be found. It'd be easier to protect Chuck, and that way, they could be together. And if Neal had just said no, maybe they could've found him. But Neal won't risk Bryce disappearing off the face of the Earth again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.  
> Warnings: Mentions of torture


	29. Elizabeth 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 between episode 12 and 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

“So no Neal again?” Elizabeth asks once Peter steps into his home that night.

Peter is sighing, unraveling his tie and removing his coat to hang it up. He leaves the tie hanging on his shoulder before moving to the dining room to meet his Elizabeth. Peter shakes his head, placing his hands on the back of one of the dining chairs.

“Is he with that friend of his again?” She asks cautiously.

Elizabeth notices a look of _something_ cross his face before it disappears. Peter takes his hands off the chair, just giving an unsure smile.

“He's been with that friend a lot lately,” Elizabeth notes as she watches Peter enter the kitchen to wash up. She waits until Peter gets back to continue. “Do you think that friend is more than just a “friend”?”

“I'm not sure,” Peter says, picking up his fork and knife. “As long as it doesn't affect his work,” Peter shrugs before cutting into the meat. “Then I'm fine with it,” Peter stares into her eyes, meat on the fork.

El stares at him with a worried expression. She knew that Peter could be pretty dense about things, of both others himself. So she didn't bother to bring it up. She knew that he would only deny it.

“It'd be nice to meet some of his other friends,” El passes it off as a side comment. “After all, we only met Moz.”

Peter groans at his name.

“Come on, Peter,” she nudges his arm. “Mozzie isn't that bad.”

“I fear what his new friend is like if he's like that,” Peter says, shaking his head.

“I'm sure that new friend of his will be pretty nice.”

“I doubt it,” Peter says, tone a bit odd.

Elizabeth just smiles down at her food, shaking her head a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extremely short but I'll try to update again today.


	30. Bryce 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 between episode 12 and 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

“June?” Neal calls out, carrying a few of Bryce's bags.

The maid who had answered the door stared at them oddly for a moment. She glances between the two before shrugging and walking off.

Bryce stares around in awe. “You did well for yourself.”

The outside itself was very nice. The inside was even fancier. Whoever his landlady was, is very rich. ' _I hope he didn't take anything from her._ '

“I only rent one of the rooms upstairs,” Neal informs him, waiting at the bottom of the stairs for this “June” person.

Bryce stands a few feet away from Neal.

“Neal?” A lady who seemed to be made of money -and who Bryce assumes is the landlady- approaches Neal from another room. “Is there something you need?” She asks, not noticing Bryce.

“June,” Neal says, placing the bags next to him. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

June glances down at the bags. “I assume it has to do with the bags you're carrying.

Neal nods.

“Is it for your work?”

Neal shakes his head. “It's not, actually,” he continues. “Peter can't know. No one can.”

“Not even Moz?” She asks curiously.

“No one,” Neal repeats.

“What is it?”

Neal glances over at Bryce.

June looks in the same directions, finally noticing Bryce. A look of surprise is on her face.

“Hi,” Bryce gives a small wave.

“He even sounds like you,” she says astonished. “I assume you're twins?”

“We are,” Neal confirms. “And he's the reason why I need a favor.” He takes a short pause. “You see June, he's on the run from a lot of people, including some old friends of his and his employer. But his old friends found out his last place so he needs a place to stay. I was wondering if you could let him rent one of your rooms.”

June looks back at Bryce, observing him for a moment before looking back at Neal. “Okay,” she agrees. “I'll even set his rent the same as yours.”

Neal beams at him. “Thanks June.”

“Just let me get his keys,” she turns away ans walks off to get the keys.

Neal turns to look at Bryce, giving him a half-smile. “Looks like we'll be roommates,” he says jokingly.

-.-Two Fold-.-

“It's a much smaller than mine.”

Bryce just sighs at him. He really didn't care all that much. As long as Chuck wasn't able to find him, than he's fine – the CIA and gangs were included in those too. Bryce had to be hidden away and the less people that knew, the better.

“It's nicer than my apartment,” Bryce shrugs, entering the room. He drops the bags and boxes he had been carrying next to the drawers that sat next to the door.

In front of him, was an L-couch with a flat screen tv and rectangular table. There was a window in the small living room area. To the left was a raises platform with a screen in the way. There were two small rooms which he assumed were the closet and the bathroom. And the kitchen was directly to the right.

Neal is right, it _is_ small. Very small. But it is also _very_ nice.

“It's nice and cozy,” Neal comments.

Bryce saw that the bed and nightstand was behind the screen. The room next to the bed was a closet, and the other small room was a bathroom.

Bryce went to work putting everything away and Neal soon followed.

“You know,” Neal said aloud after they were done putting everything away. Neal was sat on the couch, while Bryce was setting up his things. Like putting up his pictures, action figures, posters, and the like around his new apartment. “I remember always wanting to be roommates when we were kids. But I can't remember why I thought it was a bad idea.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if you want a visual of Bryce's apartment.


	31. Neal 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

' _Now I remember why._ '

Neal sighs loudly, flashing his eyes open. He turns onto his side facing the door. He stares at the person in his kitchen. “What are you doing up so early?” Neal mumbles, throwing the blankets off himself, revealing the tank-top and sweatpants he wore to bed. He rubs his eyes, still a bit sleepy. He stands up, stretching before moving to the kitchen.

“I made breakfast,” Bryce tells him once he's seated. Neal makes a face as Bryce sets down the plates.

“ _You_ made breakfast?” Neal says, staring down at the food. It looked better than Bryce's usual but he still didn't want to eat it. “Did you forget how bad you were at it?”

Bryce gives him a look as he sits down in front of his own food. “It's not that bad,” Bryce says, eating out of it.

Neal notices that he was already dressed. Or maybe it was what he wore to sleep, Neal wasn't sure. It was just a shirt and some jeans.

““Not that bad”?” Neal questions, cutting into the omelet.

“A year in that apartment gets pretty boring,” Bryce points out softly, now just eating.

' _Right,_ ' Neal thinks to himself. ' _Bryce was by himself all that time._ ' Neal tastes the food, shrugging. It wasn't that bad; it was nowhere _near_ as bad as before. ' _It must have been very lonely for him._ '

“So?” Bryce asks expectantly.

Near looks at him for a moment. “It's not as bad as before,” Neal says honestly. “You've been improving, little brother.”

Bryce squints his eyes at him. “We're _twins,_ ” Bryce informs him.

“But I'm still older,” Neal smirks at him.

“Only by a few minutes.”

“So what else have you been up to in that apartment of your's?” Neal asks after a few bites. “Just playing your games?”

“Believe it or not, Neal,” Bryce says. “Even I get tired of playing games all day.”

Neal raises his eyebrows in surprise. “That's hard to believe,” there's a short pause.

“I've taken up new hobbies.”

“Is art one of them?”

“No,” Bryce replies calmly.

“Then it's probably not all that interesting,” Neal jokes. “What is it?”

“Beside cooking,” Bryce said. “All sorts of things.”

“Like?” Neal sets down his fork, done with his food and drink.

“It's a long list.”

“Then can it wait until after I get back from work?” Neal stands up, grabbing their plates and cups. “I have to get to work.”

“This early?” Bryce frowns.

Neal stares at him, scrunching his eyebrows together. “Says the guy who was up making breakfast this early.” He looks back at the dishes to start washing them.

“Do you always go to work this early?” Bryce decides to forgo the question.

“No, I had to go in early today because I left early yesterday to come get you.”

Bryce nods. “How's working a “nine-to-five job”?” Bryce snickers softly. “Even though it must take longer than just eight hours.”

“I don't sit at the desk _all_ day,” Neal dries his hands on a towel before turning around. “I go out on the field a lot too.”

“So you get a lot of paperwork?”

“You do too, don't you?” Neal enters the bathroom to freshen up before going into his closet to change into his usual clothes.

Bryce had went quiet during this time. “I used to,” he says softly. “Before I-” he cuts himself off. He shakes his head before giving a fake smile. “I'll see you after work.”

Neal lingers there just a bit, giving Bryce a worried expression. “See you after work,” he mutters.

-.-Two Fold-.-

In the middle of one of the meetings for one of a kidnappings, Neal gets a text message. His hand immediately flies to his pocket. Peter seems to ignore it at first until he gets another one.

“Is _this_ your “legendary” Neal Caffrey?” The visiting agent -who is also the agent in charge for the case, Agent Rice, spits out insultingly. “How unprofessional.”

“Well I am-” Neal starts to say back, but stops when Peter gives him a look.

His phone goes off again

“For god sakes Neal,” Peter says sighing. “Will you _please_ silence your phone?”

“Sorry, Peter,” he mutters, taking out his phone.

It had been Bryce texting him.

Neal mentally sighs at him. He quickly checks his messages before replying and putting it on silence.

**NC <<BL: Pick up some black hair die before you head home?**

**NC <<BL: I'll pay you back of course.**

**NC <<BL: *dye not die**

**NC >>BL: ok ane atop texitng at work**

Neal didn't bother making sure that the words made sense, he needed to put his phone away.

“It won't go off now, right?” Peter ensured.

Neal nods.

-.-Two Fold-.-

His phone vibrates.

Neal sighs. ' _It must be Bryce again._ '

Neal had been forced to wait in the car by Agent Rice but he wasn't the type to just stay there so he exited the car to go investigate.

**NC <<BL: Sorry. **

Neal shakes his head at him.

**NC >>BL: Still at work, I'm on the field.**

Neal pockets the phone before looking around. He tried to reason which areas would be good to investigate. He immediately knows one when he sees stairs leading down. He runs over and looks around. When he sees a small ticket, he bends down and picks it up.

“Neal!”

Neal looks up, seeing Peter smiling at him whilst walking toward him. He straightens up and walks to meet him. “Peter!” He gives a knowing smile. “Am I being a bad influence on you?” He says light-heartedly.

Peter just shakes his head. “No, it's just-”

Neal just keeps staring at him, smiling.

Peter sighs. “There's no rules against talking to you, is there?” He smiles again, shrugging.

“Depends on what,” Neal replies, dropping his arms to his side. “So, what brings you here?”

“Just checking in on how the case is going.”

“So I _am_ a bad influence on you.”

“It's more of me checking in on you and Agent Rice.”

“You care about me,” Neal says, smiling at him.

Peter scoffs, turning his head away. “I just don't trust Agent Rice.”

Neal still smiles. He knew that Peter meant that and more.

Neal's smiles falls when he feels a vibration. He sighs and takes out his phone. It was Bryce again.

“Is that your new “friend”?” Peter asks him in a suspicious tone, nodding toward the phone.

“An old one,” Neal mutters.

It came with a picture this time.

**NC <<BL: For a conman and thief, I would have expected a better hiding place.**

Neal frowns, gaping his mouth at it the picture. It was picture of his hidey hole behind his picture. ' _Is he looking through my things?_ '

**NC >>BL: Stop digging around in my apartment and get out!**

Neal pockets his phone as he sighs with frustration.

“Doesn't really sound like an “old friend” to me,” Peter says with doubt.

“He is,” Neal says shrugging. “It's just the way he is,” he thinks back onto his memories with Bryce before they were eighteen.

“Sounds frustrating.”

Neal shakes his head, “A little, but I don't really mind.”

“What's that you found,” Peter waves to the stub in Neal's hand after a short pause.

“This?” Neal asks, raising his hand. “It's something I found in an alley, I have a feeling it relates to the case.”

And with that, Neal and Peter discuss the case. That is until Agent Rice returns.


	32. Elizabeth 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

During one of Elizabeth's breaks, she had been out with one of her friends - on that she worked with – for lunch. They didn't have much time so they were in a rush. They just went out for a quick sandwich before going back to the store. However, on their way back, she overhears something.

“Neal's not picking up!” Someone shouted desperately, clutching their phone as he hit his head against it.

El stopped. She knew she wasn't supposed to listen in to someone else's conversation but the mentioned Neal. She couldn't help but be curious. They could mean a different Neal but she had to make sure.

“He could just be busy, Chuck,” his shorter, and bearded friend told him.

This Chuck guy was _very_ tall, at least six feet, maybe even a few inches taller. He had short, dark brown hair and brown eyes.

“But I _have_ to find him, Morgan!” Chuck cried desperately to his shorter friend. “Bryce is out there somewhere, _alive_ and _well_ and I just can't lose him again.”

' _“Again”?_ ' Elizabeth thinks to herself.

“El?”

She turns to face her friend. “Hmm?” She asks.

“Come on, we'll be late.”

“Oh, uh,” Elizabeth drew on. She had to stay back and find out what they were saying. “I think I left my wallet back at the store. You go one ahead, I'll be right back.” She turned as if she was going to walk back.

“Okay,” her friend said before continuing on back to the store.

Elizabeth stayed like that until she was out of sight.

“Calm down Chuck, we'll find him,” Morgan attempted to reassure him but failed miserably.

“What if we can't,” Chuck looked a bit paranoid. “I can't lose him, Morgan. I wouldn't be able to last through yet _another_ heartbreak. I just _can't._ ”

“What makes you think Neal will be able to find him?”

Chuck looked at him with despair.

“I mean, if Sarah and John can't find him, what makes you think his brother can?”

' _Brother? Neal doesn't have a brother, does he?_ '

“Come _on,_ Chuck,” Morgan taps him on the shoulder. “What does this guy even _do_ for a living?”

Chuck pauses. “I-I don't know, actually, I never asked.”

“So for all the time you spent with him the last few days, you never asked?” Morgan had a confused look on his face. “You saw him everyday for the past few days, or at least, that's what you said.”

' _Neal spent all his time with another friend,_ ' Elizabeth notes, remembering what Peter told her. ' _Maybe-?_ '

Elizabeth wanted to stay more but she knew she shouldn't, she had to get to work. She could always ask Neal about it later. He might not tell the truth or it might be a different Neal, but it's worth trying.


	33. Bryce 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect. Warnings at the bottom.

Neal bursting into his old apartment, shouting that he needed to get out, surprised Bryce. And he wasn't one to be surprised. At first, he sincerely thought Neal hated his actions to the point of actually hating him, but turns out, Neal would still back him up. He helped him ensure that Chuck, Sarah, and Casey wouldn't find him.

Although, Bryce had a feeling it wasa bit of Neal's fault.

But it didn't matter anymore, he was still able to get away from them. Neal had his landlady, June, to let him move in.

However, just like every other time, Bryce had a hard time sleeping. Whenever he moves into a new place, Bryce is on edge. It's a completely new place and he has no clue as to how safe it is, so on instinct, he doesn't sleep.

Bryce had been out of his room early to prepare breakfast for he and Neal. Neal was still asleep but he eventually woke up, and that was when he was finished preparing it. Neal had been a bit annoyed though.

But despite that, Bryce was glad to be there. It had been way too long since he has had intimate relationships with others, either it be romantic, platonic, or familial. Being part of the CIA affected him too much. It caused him to become detached of reality, he had a hard time feeling emotions.

A few months into his time in his old apartment, he saw someone almost get hit by a car. There was a crowd exclaiming whether or not they were alright, and that they were relieved that that person was okay. Bryce, however, hadn't felt anything. He just kept walking, not caring about them whatsoever.

And that was when Bryce realized that something was wrong with him. The CIA made him emotionless. He has known that was true but he never really realized it before.

So every time after that day, Bryce has been trying to reinvent himself. Make himself back into the person before the CIA had their hold on him. It was hard. Especially because he had no one.

How could he feel again if there was nothing to feel?

Bryce tried to do stick with the things he loved back in his teen and Stanford years, it kind of worked. But not for long. It just kept reminding him of the times he lost. So he eventually stopped. But not having anything to do or anyone to talk to, gets to someone, even _if_ that someone was part of the CIA.

Bryce couldn't help it but his mood became dreary. Slowly but surely, his mood became permanently woeful.

So Bryce dove himself into other things. He tried to find things to keep his mood up. It would kind of work for a few days - sometimes weeks - at a time, but it wouldn't make him happy, it just kept his mind off things. It was kind of good. He found new things he could be good at or enjoy, but he was still miserable.

Seeing Neal again made him happy. And he _means_ happy. Bryce hadn't seen Neal in awhile; he was _finally_ able to see his family again, someone he cared for.

Bryce was finally able to somewhat be the person he was before the CIA. His CIA days were still lingering, but it was the closest he had been in a long time.

Since Chuck.

But Neal had to go to work. It wouldn't last.

And Bryce was alone again.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Bryce was back to what he was like in his old apartment again. He didn't know what to do.

So Bryce re-checked that he had everything. He and Neal had been in a rush when getting his things. Before, Bryce would have been able to keep track, of everything, but he was severely out of practice. He wasn't sure if he had brought everything.

Almost mid-way through checking everything, he felt an urge to talk to someone. He was feeling a bit empty again.

He often felt like that, but he hadn't when he was talking with Neal. Bryce was temped to go text him but he knew Neal was at work, he couldn't bother him. He went back to checking his things.

A little later, Bryce was looking back at his phone. His hand is quickly tapping on his desk, inwardly debating if he should or should not.

Bryce ultimately decided that he will and just worry about it later.

**BL >>NC: Pick up some black hair die before you head home?**

**BL >>NC: I'll pay you back of course.**

**BL >>NC: *dye not die**

Bryce did actually need some hair dye. He figured that it'd be easier to play off being Neal with black hair again, if someone - other than June of course - walked in on him.

**BL <<NC: ok ane atop texitng at work**

“Huh,” Bryce said thoughtfully. ' _Neal must have been really busy right now if he didn't bother with his grammar._ ' Bryce decides to wait a little until replying. Neal was busy.

Bryce was almost done with re-checking everything, just one box left. Although, he was hesitant to check it, the box contained too many memories.

Bryce flips open the flaps of the box, staring at the many things he was given from Chuck. As he took them out, he mentally checked things off his list. As he was slowly making his way through the box, relief grew in him, relief that he didn't leave anything behind to signal to Chuck and company that he was in that apartment.

“And finally, my-” Bryce cuts himself, seeing the box is empty. ' _Did I already take it out?_ ' Bryce attempts to reason, not wanting to think that he left it behind. Bryce turns around, re-checking the things that he took out of the box. He took the things one by one, placing it back in the box, re-checking the things off his list.

Bryce starts to panic when he doesn't see his starship enterprise model. It was a horrible model to the actual one in the series, but Chuck had gotten it for him. Chuck had bought it online, expecting it to look just like the real one, but to any fanatic, it was obvious that it was off. Even chuck spotted it at first glance. But Bryce wasn't that upset. Chuck had gotten it so he was happy nonetheless.

The starship enterprise model was the first thing Chuck had gotten him. He had written

“ _To Bryce_

 _From Chuck_ ”

on the bottom of the stand in silver sharpie. Chuck had embarrassingly explained that it was a fake model of the ship and insisted that he would get Bryce another one, but Bryce had said it was fine. Again, the reason was stated before.

Bryce stood up from where he was sitting on his bed. He needed to look for the starship enterprise model.

Bryce basically ransacked his apartment, trying to search for it. When he had overturned everything in the apartment, he cursed out loud. If it hadn't been there, it could only mean that it was back at his old apartment.

Bryce's old landlord gave him until the end of the month for him to keep the apartment, so he still had time. And the model _had_ to be there. If it wasn't, then that means Chuck already beat him there.

And wouldn't be long until _they_ find him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Mentions of depression


	34. Chuck 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

“He's still not answering,” Chuck mutters, staring down at his phone.

Chuck had been calling Neal over and over since he had found out Bryce was alive. He needed help. Neal was the second person of the two closest people to Bryce, Chuck being the other. And Chuck had no clue about Roosevelt Island, Neal might.

But Neal wasn't answering.

Chuck had given up early in the morning. If Neal wasn't answering, he had to do it himself.

“You have me too,” Moran cuts in.

And Sarah too, maybe Casey. Most likely not though. He still doesn't like Bryce.

Chuck rushed to hack into the data banks of all residences on Roosevelt island. Each building had a list of the renters, along with basic information on them. He had Sarah and surprisingly Casey, help narrow down the list.

When they had narrowed down the list, Chuck looked at each name, see if he recognized any or flashed on it. He flashed on some and crossed those off since the face that showed wasn't Bryce's. But one name caught his eye, and he just _kn_ _ew_ that it was him.

“Charles Cooper,” Chuck whispers, staring at the name.

“What?” Sarah asks, a confused tone.

“It's Bryce, I just know it,” Chuck checks the age, gender, and date checked in. They all match.

Chuck smiles, ' _Bryce._ '

Chuck looks at the building he's in. He keeps the address in mind.

And now he's off, grabbing the picture of them, his wallet, phone, and keys with him.

“Chuck!” Sarah and Casey call after him.

“Where are you going?” Morgan shouts.

“To go get Bryce,” Chuck shouts, running out the door. He could hear Morgan running after him and the faint voice of Sarah saying “They could handle, we should stay back and check the names.” Chuck was grateful to Sarah, but immediately pushed the thought out for thoughts on Bryce.

' _Bryce!_

_He's alive!_

_Bryce is alive. I could see him, I can finally see him!_

_Bryce!_

_I want to see_ _him_ _._

_We could be something._

_I have to reach him,_ _I can't lose him again._

_I love him._

_Bryce!_

_Please don't leave again._

_I need him._

_Bryce._ '

All these thoughts - and more - is echoing in Chuck's head. He couldn't focus on one thought, they screamed out all at once. Chuck couldn't focus on anything; even running he had a hard time with. He had to force himself not to stumble on his feet.

Chuck just _had_ to reach Bryce.

-.-Two Fold-.-

“Hi, uh hi,” Chuck panted, stumbling onto the receptionist's desk, Morgan following a few minutes after. “I'm uh, I'm looking for someone. I'm told he lives here?”

“And you are?” He asks.

“I'm Chuck, his friend,” he says, catching his breath. He feels his pockets, looking for the picture. “His name is Charles Cooper,” he takes the picture out. “This is him,” he says, pointing to Bryce.

The receptionist leans closer, observing the image. “It's old,” he notes.

“Yes,” Chuck replies. “It's from our college years.”

“Stanford, very impressive,” he says on a side note. “I'm sorry but I haven't seen him.”

Chuck sighs sadly, slumping against the desk.

“It's okay Chuck,” Morgan says, patting him on the back.

“But I can check for his room number,” he offers. “But you can't stay long, the longest I can give you is ten minutes.”

Chuck smiles. “Thank you, thank you so much!”

The receptionist nods, typing into his computer. “Charles Cooper, his payment is until the end of this month,” a short pause. “And here is his key,” he says, reaching for a key in the locked cabinet. “The room number is on the tag.'”

“Thanks again!” Chuck beams, raising the key. “Come on, Morgan,” he rushes to the elevator, pressing Bryce's floor number.

Chuck could hardly keep still. He was bouncing left and right, eager to _finally_ see Bryce again. He couldn't stop smiling.

“Looks like you're finally going to see him again,” Morgan noted. “How does it feel?” Even Morgan was smiling, Chuck's smile was too contagious.

“There's no words to describe how happy I am,” Chuck says excitedly. He bursts out the of the elevator, rushing to Bryce's apartment. He takes the key out of his pocket. His hands are shaking from the excitement, hardly able to get it into the key hole. When he gets it in and turns, his smile becomes a bit wider.

Chuck throws the door open, “Bryce?” Chuck calls out.

Chuck's smile falls when he sees the barren room. ' _Did Bryce not have anything in here?_ '

Chuck walks around the room, looking for any signs of life. “Bryce?” Chuck calls out again.

“Man, this is pretty empty,” Morgan says aloud.

“Chuck stops, taking in his surroundings in. “Bryce?”

He sees a door near the kitchen. Chuck approaches it. He checks the knob and opens it. It's empty.

Chuck sees another door. He checks it, it's the bathroom.

It's still empty.

“He's not here,” Chuck's voice is dripping with woe. He just couldn't believe it. He had his hopes up once again only for it to be crushed.

“Maybe, maybe we just have the wrong person?”

Chuck turns around, looking around in the bedroom. He sighs. “I really thought it was him,” he sits down on the bed, too sad to say anything. “I thought for _sure_ it was him.” He opens his eyes again, unaware that he had even done that.

Chuck frowns when he sees something. He leans down to pick up something that was partially under the bed covers on the ground. He picks it up. His eyes widen.

“I'm sorry Chuck,” Morgan continues, unaware of what Chuck found. “I know how much you wanted it to be Bryce, but we could just have the wrong person. There's still-”

“It _is_ him!” Chuck exclaims, smiling widely as he turns to Morgan. “It's him Morgan, it's _Bryce!_ ”

Morgan frowns. “What, what's that?”

Chuck flips the starship enterprise over, seeing

“ _To Bryce_

 _From Chuck_ ”

on the bottom.

“It's the first things I gave him,” Chuck mutters, smiling down at the model. “Bryce was here. This is proof he's alive! _Actual_ proof!”

Morgan approaches him, looking at the bottom. “Wow, it _is_ him. You found him Chuck!”

“But he isn't here,” Chuck says sadly.

“We probably just missed him,” Morgan brushes it off. “But this means he's in New York City. We can find him.”

Chuck nods eagerly, still smiling down at the model. A few moments pass before he frowns again.

“Something wrong, buddy?”

“How did we miss him?” Chuck looks up at him slowly. “Why would Bryce have moved out of his apartment? And _yesterday_ of all days? The day I, _we,_ found out that Bryce is alive?”

Morgan shrugs. “Could just be a coincidence,” he pats him on the shoulder. “Now come on, call that brother of his again. Now that we know the alias Bryce used in New York, we're _that_ much closer to finding him.”

Chuck was still frowning. Bryce was a CIA agent, he's an expert in using aliases and disappearing. They might have found this place and an old alias, but it's just that. It could just be a cold trail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting school again soon, so I won't be able to update as often anymore.


	35. Bryce 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

After realizing that the starship enterprise model wasn't to be found, Bryce went back to check his old apartment in Roosevelt island.

“Uh hi, I recently checked out of my apartment but I forgot something in the room,” Bryce tells the receptionist. “Can I borrow a key to go get it?”

“Id and name please,” the receptionist asks.

Bryce pulls out the fake ID of Charles Cooper and shows it to the receptionist.

“Oh Charles Cooper,” he says in a light-hearted tone as he goes to grab a key after checking the computer. “Your friends, Chuck and another guy, stopped by earlier.”

The moment he mentioned “Chuck,” Bryce had to force himself not to flinch. ' _Chuck was here,_ ' Bryce thought to himself. ' _It's only a matter of time before they find me._ '

“Thank you,” Bryce nods, grabbing the key. ' _There's still a chance that they didn't find it,_ ' Bryce reassures himself, heading up the elevator.

When he reaches the floor, Bryce moves to unlock his old apartment. He immediately wanders to the bedroom after closing the front door. Bryce knew the starship enterprise was in there because he kept the things that had the most memories in there.

Bryce looks around the room, searching desperately for the model. He wants to believe that Chuck didn't find it, but he knows that he had. But he still hoped that he didn't.

“Oh crap,” Bryce breathed out after searching the room twice. ' _Chuck found it._ '

-.-Two Fold-.-

Neal later returned from his work much earlier than he expected.

“You're early,” Bryce notes, silently glad for him to be there.

Ever since that morning, when Bryce found out that Chuck knew, he'd been more agitated. He needed something to get his mind off things.

“Here's your hair dye,” Neal tosses him the box. “I didn't forget.”

“Thanks,” Bryce says. “How much was it?”

“It's fine,” Neal says, heading over to his closet.

“You sure?”

“Yes!” He calls out from inside the closet.

Bryce looks at him when Neal comes out looking a little fancier than usual. “Where are you going?”

“I have a club to go to,” he says, fixing his clothes.

Bryce stares at him. “You're leaving, again?”

“You'll be fine,” Neal turns around to face him. “You're old enough to take care of yourself, right?”

“It's just that we haven't seen each other in awhile.”

“Bryce,” Neal says sighing. “I'm not going to the club to party, I'm going for work.”

Bryce gives him a questioning look. “Work?”

“Yes Bryce, _work,_ ” Neal emphasizes. “Remember how I told you I'm a CI for the FBI?” Neal pauses. “The club is for undercover work.”

“Do you know how long you're going out?” Bryce asks as Neal looks back in the mirror.

' _Undercover work tends to be dangerous,_ ' Bryce notes. ' _Neal can handle himself,_ ' he attempts to reassure himself. Although, Bryce was getting a bit worked up about Neal going undercover. Bryce knew how dangerous they could be, especially if something went wrong. ' _He can handle himself, I don't have to worry._ '

“I'm not sure,” Neal tells him. “Sometimes it's not long, sometimes it's short. But there's another agent in charge of this case, so who knows.”

' _Neal can handle-_ Bryce forces himself to believe.

“You know Neal,” Bryce stands up, pointing toward his apartment. “I'll just owe you back for the hair dye.”

“I already said it's fine, Bryce,” Neal turns around, giving him look. “I have a job, I can pay for it.”

“Uh huh,” Bryce says, crossing his arms. “And how much do they pay?”

“The hair dye is only 17,” Neal attempts to direct the conversation away.

“By how you're trying to change the subject, I can tell that they don't pay much,” Bryce says in a firm voice. “Just let me pay.”

Neal sighs. “Fine, but can you hurry? I need to go soon.”

Bryce walks to his apartment, going to find his wallet and the small bug. This bug was much smaller than the standard bug, but was still able to send audio and track the location. While Bryce had unofficially left the CIA, he still had some equipment left over. It wasn't like they could get him for it, they didn't even know he was alive.

Bryce takes out twenty dollars and pockets it. He turns the bug on and checks his phone. He checks that the location is working and the audio plays back.

When Bryce is sure that everything is working, he goes back to Neal. He conceals the bug in his hand, the same hand with the dollar.

Neal is still waiting in his apartment when Bryce gets in there. “Here,” Bryce says, handing him the dollar.

“About time,” he says half-seriously. “I need to go to the club, don't stay up too late.”

“I expect you back at midnight,” Bryce tells him, patting his back as he slips the bug into Neal's back pocket. “Be safe.”

“Don't jinx it,” Neal says, before closing the door behind him.

Bryce sits down on Neal's couch. He takes out his phone and plays the audio. He needs to make sure that Neal doesn't find it.

Bryce waits about half an hour before he decides that Neal hadn't found the bug. Which was pretty surprising considering Neal was a supposed expert on it.

Bryce goes back to his apartment to settle in listen in on Neal.

He had no time to worry about Chuck knowing about him, right now, Neal's safety was more important.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Bryce sat and listened to the audio, occasionally checking the location of Neal. For a few hours, whatever Neal was doing didn't seem like work at all. He seemed as if he was just having fun. In fact, Bryce just heard Neal making out with a guy who apparently looked like a Peter. Well, Bryce assumes he is.

Bryce had heard Neal comment “He looks like Peter” just before he started chatting with someone. Then shortly after, complete silence before Neal comments something about it being hot.

But about a few hours later, he talked to an Agent Rice. So apparently, Neal _was_ telling the truth.

Neal was apparently heading out to meet someone on his own.

So of course, Bryce hacks into the cameras nearby. There wasn't much cameras available but just enough.

Bryce watches as Neal walk into an alleyway. ' _That is a bad idea,_ ' Bryce tells himself.

Bryce can no longer see Neal in the alleyway, but he can see both sides of the alleyway if something were to happen.

A few minutes after, Neal gets a phone call. “Hey Peter.”

' _The same Peter from the club? The FBI agent?_ '

“What?” Neal asks after a pause, tone shocked.

A thud sounds, followed by another.

Bryce frowns. It's except for rustling sounds. ' _What happened?_ ' Bryce thinks to himself. ' _Neal didn't- he didn't, did he?_ ' A few minutes after, a metallic sound his heard and Bryce sees a white van exiting the alleyway from the opposite side Neal entered.

“They took him,” Bryce mutters, preventing himself from panicking. He switches cameras, trying to keep track of the van as he keeps notes of the license plate and the looks of the van.

Eventually, Bryce loses track of the van. “ _Fuck,_ ” Bryce curses.

He's constantly switching cameras, trying to look for where they went. Mentally keeping note of the path the van went, Bryce uses it to try and tell where they went.

Bryce ends up finding them again.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Bryce jolts awake from the sleep he hadn't been aware that he fell into. Woken by the sound of Neal's scream, he panics a bit.

“If you wanted me for lattes, you could've just called.”

Bryce could hear the pain in Neal's voice. It makes Bryce want to tear out whoever hurt his brother.

“This way's better, pretty good right?”

Bryce hears a conversation go on about how they used to work together, which kind of disappoints Bryce. But of course, Neal keeps on with his wit. And hears that whoever has taken Neal, also has taken someone else named “Lindsay.”

And this person threatens Neal, blackmailing him into getting information on a “Thomas Lowes” or else this “Lindsay” gets killed.

So Neal goes with it and ends doing whatever this guy tells him to do. Bryce watches as he sprints across the street, quickly changing his appearance. Bryce smiles at his brother, slightly impressed at how Neal is handling the situation under pressure. Then Bryce sees Neal do something that seems like him contacting someone for help with the free vacation offer, despite his kidnapper warning him not to.

“Very impressive Neal,” Bryce mutters as he awaits the email.

But it never comes. “Who did he-?” Bryce cuts himself off when he hears Neal's apartment door close.

Bryce quickly darts over to the door before waiting a moment. He opens the door to check who it was. It was a short, bald man with glasses. He didn't see him before at all, perhaps one of Neal's acquaintances? Couldn't be Peter, the guy didn't look like an FBI agent.

Soon, Neal's apartment door opens again. This time, it's June.

“Hey June,” Bryce says, acting casually.

“Doing some investigating on your own?” But clearly, she saw through Bryce's actions. “That was Mozzie Haversham, a friend of Neal's.”

“How'd you know?” Bryce asks cautiously.

“I have some of my own experiences when it comes to these things,” she approaches Neal's door. “Now tell me, what have you found about Neal?”

Bryce looks at her, not showing how impressed he was with her. He steps to the side, allowing her entrance. “I planted a bug on him, so I can hear what he hears and where he's at.”

Bryce sits back down in front of where is set up was. He's just in time to hear Neal get electrocuted. “I swear,” Bryce mutters angrily to himself.

“Careful,” June says, taking a seat next to him. “Even a tiny bit of emotion can ruin a case.”

Bryce calms down a bit, not taking his eyes off the gps tracking and visual of the van. “By your knowledge, I can tell that you've been on the field. But not part of the government.”

June shakes her head in agreement, still smiling. “And by your setup, I can tell you're an agent. Which organization?”

“CIA,” Bryce tells her. “Or at least I used to be?”

“Not good by the tone of your voice?”

“No, it wasn't.”

“What have you found out about Neal?” June says after a pause.

“Neal was taken by someone during an Agent Rice's mission,” Bryce starts to explain. “And this mission is about someone who was kidnapped, a “Lindsay.” And Neal has to do what he says unless either he or Lindsay is killed.”

“Is that all you know?”

“Neal can't contact anyone or else his kidnapper will kill him, but he managed to contact someone.”

“Mozzie,” June notes.

“And not me?” Bryce asks, slightly hurt.

“You mentioned you were in hiding, right?”

Bryce nods.

“Then he just didn't want you tu be found out.”

' _Too late,_ ' Bryce thinks.

When the van approaches the waterside, Bryce and June go quiet.

“They're at this warehouse,” Bryce notes aloud, looking at the address and location on the map, since there was no longer any visual. He keeps a mental image of it.

Bryce springs up onto his face. He goes to find his gun, handcuffs, and keys.

“You're going after him?”

“You're not going to stop me,” Bryce tells her firmly, as he pockets his phone.

“I'm not planning to.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

By the time Bryce reaches the right warehouse, the van leaves and so does the tracking chip. Bryce wants to speed after him but Bryce assumes that this “Lindsay” is still in there. So for now, Bryce stays to get her out.

Bryce sneaks over to the warehouse and starts to investigate.

What Bryce gets from it is that there is two people in there, someone who he assumes is Lindsay and another who is told to keep an eye on her.

“Easy enough,” Bryce tells himself. It had been a long time since he had done something like that, so he was severely out of practice. But Bryce couldn't just let that girl stay there. Not when he could do something about it.

Bryce finds an entrance into the building, and quietly slips inside. He pears down onto Lindsay and her keeper. They didn't seem to notice him yet. Bryce sneaks down and behind her keeper, gaining Lindsay's attention.

She frowns at him in confusion.

Bryce holds a finger up to his lips, urging her to be quiet. Bryce sneaks up behind him. He holds up his gun and hits him hard at the back of his head. The keeper's head knocks forward but isn't knocked out.

The keeper stands up, grabbing his gun with a silencer and quickly turning around. He fires but Bryce easily dodges it.

Bryce moves to grab the gun away from him but he wasn't quick enough. He gets shot in the shoulder. He curses himself, grasping at his shoulder for a moment. ' _It's been too long._ '

“Neal!” Lindsay shouts.

The keeper moves to shoot him again but Bryce moves and shoots him first. The keeper shouts in pain, dropping gun from where he was shot in his chest.

Bryce darts to the keeper, hitting him in the head again, but harder this time. When he's knocked out, Bryce grabs the keeper's gun and darts to Lindsay. “I'm sorry you had to see that,” he tells her, pocketing the keeper's gun. “Come on, let's get you out of here.” Bryce helps her stand and leads her out of the warehouse to safety.

Bryce is taking out his phone and handing it to her. “Can you call someone to come get you?”

“Yeah,” she says, grabbing his phone. “My dad, he's the one looking for me.”

“Call him,” Bryce says, stopping her at the doorway to check for anyone. He shoots a person down before going back out.

Bryce safely leads Lindsay out of the warehouse and off the property, but not without getting shot another time.

Bryce awaits Lindsay's father in front of the FBI building, which apparently, no one is at since they're off looking for her, with Lindsay.

“I wanted to thank you,” Lindsay tells Bryce. “But how did you get back so fast? I thought he took you.”

“I'm not Neal,” Bryce informs her.

Lindsay looks confused.

“I'm his brother, Bryce.”

“You're twins?” She asks, sounding surprised.

Bryce nods. “But you can't tell anyone I was here, okay?”

“Okay, but why?”

“They can't know,” Bryce reminds her before going off back to June's.

Bryce knew he was trusting that girl too much to not tell anyone. He hoped she wouldn't say anything, but he had a feeling she'd slip up.

 


	36. Elizabeth 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

Peter had finally been able to join El for dinner after their most recent mission ended. Elizabeth was supposed to have worked late but she requested to go home and it had been granted. Now that they were together, she decides now is the perfect time.

“Peter?” El asks.

Peter looks up fom his food, staring at her. “Hmm?”

“Do you know the name of Neal's friend?”

He shakes his head. “No, why?”

“Well, I overheard some people the other day,” she starts to explain.

“You were eavesdropping?” Peter asks, looking at her oddly.

“It wasn't like I had to try too hard,” she attempts to explain herself. “They were shouting it.”

Peter sighs. “What'd the talk about and who were they?”

“Do you know if Neal knows a Chuck or a Morgan?”

Peter thinks thoughtfully. “No,” he says, shaking his head. “Not that I'm aware of.”

“What about a Bryce?”

The moment Elizabeth mentioned “Bryce,” Peter looked alarmed.

“I'm guess he does.”

Peter shifts in his seat, resting his head in his hand. A smirk shows on his face.

“Peter?” El asks again.

“Awhile ago,” Peter starts. “One of our missions was almost blown because of a stranger. They called Neal “Bryce.””

El looks at him with realization.

“And just on our last mission, Lindsay, the victim, slipped up and mentioned Neal's brother.”

“You know,” she says thoughtfully. “They mentioned that Chuck had been meeting up with Neal for several days, which-”

“Matches up with Neal's meetings with his friend,” Peter and El said simultaneously. They smile at each other.

“Say, El?” Peter asks.

“Yeah?”

“What did Chuck look like?”

“Tall, _very_ tall, maybe around 6'4”.”

Peter raises his eyebrows in shock. “That _is_ tall,” he comments.

“He was skinny, curly, brown hair, and brown eyes.”

“That's him,” Peter confirms. “That's the guy I saw who called Neal “Bryce.”

“So it's safe to say this Bryce person is his twin?” Peter nods in reply. “But why wouldn't he tell us about his brother? And why did Neal not go and find him?”

“I don't-” Peter cuts himself off, expression frozen.

“Peter?”

“That's it,” he mutters, standing up quickly.

“What's it?” She calls in confusion, walking after him.

Elizabeth watches as Peter grabs his laptop, his work laptop, from his bag. She takes a seat next to him in the living room. “What are you trying to find?” El asks.

“I know Neal,” Peter tells her. “I know him which is _exactly_ the reason why I thought capturing him at the airport a few years ago, was too easy.” Peter typed in a California news site. “We found him coming back from California using a burned alias,” Peter types in the name Bryce and enters.

When they both see the only article there, their face falls.

“And now we know why,” Peter says softly, clicking into the article.

They're both staring at a man in suit who looks just like Neal. He's expressionless, so unlike Neal.

**Bank Executive Dies in Robbery By Marvin Mancia**

“Bryce Larkin,” Elizabeth whispers Neal's twin's name.

“It's dated a few days before Neal's capture,” Peter notes. After a short pause, he continues. “He looked the same as always, you couldn't tell that he was in pain from his death.” Another pause. “What I'm still unsure about,” Peter continues. “Is if he's already dead, why are they still looking for him?”

“Unless he isn't dead,” Elizabeth suggests, thinking back on Chuck's conversation with Morgan. “Chuck mentioned that he couldn't lose Bryce _again._ He could be referring to that funeral.”

“So a bank executive faked his death?” Peter asks.

“Maybe it's a cover,” El shrugs. When Peter says nothing, she continues. “It's Neal. His brother could be just as intelligent.”

“Maybe,” Peter says. “But let's find out as much about Bryce Larkin as we can, shall we?”

“Are you using FBI resources to look up Bryce Larkin?”

“No.”

El gives him a look.

“On this laptop I can't,” he says honestly. “But I'm still capable of using Google.” Peter starts to type in “Bryce Larkin,” looking for this guy wherever he can.

They both stare at amazement at the first thing they find.

“Stanford Alumni _Bryce Larkin?_ ” El asks in disbelief.

Peter stares at his smiling picture in amazement. “While Neal was off forging and stealing art, his brother was attending Stanford?” He asks in confusion.

“He looks different in the newspaper,” El notes.

“Huh?” Peter asks, looking up at her.

“He looks different,” she repeats, looking at him. “In the Stanford Alumni picture, he looks happy. But in the newspaper, he's more serious. Kind of like-” she trails off, trying to find the words. “Like someone who has went through training.”

“Like agents or the military,” he says nodding. “So that bank job is just a cover-”

“And he really did fake his death-” El continues.

“So Neal found out-”

“So he, and Chuck and Morgan, are looking for him.”

“And so will we,” Peter says.


	37. Peter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

After getting to work the next day, Peter hadn't seen Neal so he went straight to work. On finding this Bryce Larkin of course.

“You called Peter?”

Peter motions for him to close the door, “Come in.”

“Something you need?”

“I need you to look up someone for me,” Peter says, writing down “Bryce Larkin” onto a piece of paper. He folds it up, raising it between his fingers.

“I'm assuming you need to keep it on the down low?” Jones replies softly.

Peter nods. “Thank you.”

Jones slips it into his pocket and walks out of his office.

-.-Two Fold-.-

After lunch, Jones is walking back into his office. He closes it behind him.

“I have some bad news,” he mutters softly.

“What is it?”

“You know the name you had me look up?” He paused. “It's classified.”

Peter rose his eyebrow in shock. “All of it?”

“All of it,” he says nodding. “And I don't mean “certain things are blacked out” classified, I mean “I can't access the file” classified.”

' _Just who_ is _Bryce Larkin?_ '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is coming to an end very soon. Probably. And sorry this is short.


	38. Chuck 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: season 1 episode 13. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

After three days of Neal ignoring him, Chuck decided to go over to Neal's and confront him.

After coming up with nothing new after finding out about Charles Cooper, Bryce's alias that he used for his apartment, he needed help. And Neal is the person who is most likely to find Bryce, even more so than Casey and Sarah.

But whenever Chuck tried to contact Neal, he would never pick up.

So Chuck had to find him.

Morgan, Casey, and Sarah said they'd keep trying but Chuck insisted that they needed Neal. They didn't believe that Neal wasn't needed.

“Excuse me! Excuse me,” a man's voice sounded from behind him.

“Yes?” Chuck said without stopping. Out of the corner of his eyes, Chuck notices two men walking next to him.

“We're uh, we're lost,” they say in a panic. “We're wondering if you could help us.”

“I'm sorry,” Chuck tells them. He's in a hurry, he can't stop. “But I haven't been here long either, so I don't think I can help.”

“Please!” He said desperately.

Chuck sighs and stops. He was never one to ignore someone, no matter how much of a hurry he was in. “Where do you need to go.”

“Well, it's uh,” the man hesitated. “I don't actually remember the name-” he says a little embarrassed.

Chuck sighs.

“But I know which street it's at and what it looks like?” He offers, sounding very embarrassed.

“Which street is it at?” Chuck asks.

The man rattles off the street name and Chuck instantly recognizes it as the plaza lined with many different restaurants.

“Sure, I think I know where it is.”

They smile widely. “Thank you!”

“And uh,” the second man starts. “Will it be too much trouble if you showed it to us?”

' _It's not too far from here,_ ' Chuck thinks defeatedly. And as much as Chuck would like to get to Neal, he couldn't get out of this situation.

“Sure,” Chuck says. “Just follow me, I'll take you there.”

“Oh thank you so much!”

“No problem,” Chuck mutters out the lie. As Chuck leads them to that street, the two men ramble on how grateful they are.

“Here's the street,” Chuck tells them. “What was the address again?”

They repeat the address.

Chuck frowns. “I don't remember that being there.”

“It's new,” they insist. “We want to thank you for showing us the way.”

“It's alright,” Chuck tells them, starting to leave to go back to finding Neal's place.

“No, no! We insist,” they say, grabbing his arms and leading him to some restaurant.

The restaurant was a dark wood. The windows were tinted a very dark color with thick red curtains.

“It's fine,” Chuck says, trying to get out of their grip.

“We insist,” they barge into the restaurant.

Chuck notes that it's empty aside from three other people.

“Take a seat,” one of them lets go of him.

“Really,” Chuck says as he's forced down onto a seat. “You don't have to.”

“We _insist._ ”

Chuck hears a click sound from behind. He swallows heavily, because he _recognizes_ _that_ _sound._

“Let us treat you,” the other one says.

Chuck glances around and sees one of the other customers locking the door. The rest, along with the staff, are all pointing there own weapons at him. Normally, Chuck would have easily been able to take them down, but due to recent circumstances, he couldn't. Even during the case they investigated, Chuck wasn't able to do much. He had barely been able to flash on anything. So there was no way Chuck would be able to defend himself.

Chuck raises his hands.

“Smart man.”


	39. Neal 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

Neal kept working.

It kept gnawing at him from the back of his mind. While Neal never really focused on it, he still had it in his thoughts. He tried to ignore it like Bryce wanted him to but he just couldn't. He couldn't help but think about Chuck. About how broken-hearted he is right now, just wanting to be with Bryce.

Neal drops his pen, breathing out heavily as he buries his head into his hands. “Idiot,” Neal mutters frustratingly.

Because that's what Bryce really is, a complete idiot.

“I hope you don't mean me.”

Neal looks up at from his hands to see Peter towering over his desk. His arms are crossed with a folder in hand. He's staring at him with pursed lips.

“No,” Neal says. “I mean someone else.”

“How reassuring,” Peter says blankly, dropping his arms. “Come on,” he waves him over to he conference room. “We need to go over something before going on lunch break.”

Neal nods, standing up to follow him.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Neal went back to June's for lunch. He needed to clear his head a little and he wouldn't be able to do that with people around him.

When Neal walks into his apartment, he frowns when he sees an open box on his table. He closes the door slowly, looking at it suspiciously. He looks around the room to see who brought it but no one was there.

Neal approaches the box carefully. He peers in, relaxing a bit. He sees a piece of paper and a small video-recorder.

Neal sits down and takes the contents out of the box. He picks up the papers first.

It's a letter.

_**We've finally found you** _

Judging by the first sentence, Neal could tell that this letter isn't very friendly.

_**We've finally found you again Anderson. If you're smart, you'd just come with us, but we know you won't. But this time, we have some reassurances.** _

_**Check the camera.** _

Neal tenses up.

This was _very_ bad.

Neal puts down the paper before grabbing the camera. He flips it open but he hesitates before pressing play. He hadn't know what he would see.

Neal presses the play button.

“ _Hello_ Bryce, _” a man in a suit tells him._

Neal recognizes him from the time he was in Spain. He's one of the people running in the infamous gang there.

_He's standing in a small, concrete room. At the side of the camera screen is a large glass window that viewed into another room, but what was in it wasn't seen._

“ _Long time no see, last time we met, you were going by Anderson,” he pauses. “I don't know if you know this,” he says in a false, light tone. “But whenever someone crosses us, we tend to not let them go. No matter how long it takes, we hunt them down.”_

_The man smirks and nods his head over to where the glass window is at. The camera pans._

The color drains from Neal's face.

“ _Chuck,_ ” Neal whispers, horrified.

“ _Go to this address and we_ might _consider letting him go. And you should know already what happens if you don't come alone.”_

The video ends.

Neal desperately searches the box again.

“Where is it,” he breathed heavily. “ _Where's_ the address?”

Moment by moment, he's getting more and more frustrated. Neal knows what they mean when they say “what happens.” He wasn't Bryce but it was obvious. If he didn't find Chuck _now,_ they'd kill him.

“ _Fuck,_ ” Neal cursed aloud. He slammed his fists onto the table, breathing in and out to calm himself down.

Neal stands straight up again, swiping the paper and camera of the table. He flies open his door and barges into Bryce's apartment. “Bryce!” He shouts.

Neal hears a sigh from behind the curtain to the left. There's shuffling and Bryce appears in front of him. “Any reason why you're shouting?”

Neal says nothing, just shoving the paper and camera into his arms.

Bryce scans the paper, face showing no emotion. He turns on the camera and replays it from the start. The whole time he was reading it, his expression never changed. It was the same, cold expression. Bryce sighs when the video is finished.

“We have to find him Bryce.”

Bryce says nothing, just handing back the paper and camera,

“ _Bryce,_ ” Neal says firmly, staring him down.

Bryce looks away.

Neal's face falls a little at his brother's lack of expression.

This was _Bryce._ He and Chuck had history together. Heck, Bryce is in _love_ with Chuck! And yet, he isn't reacting, at _all._

“Don't you care at all?” Neal asks, voice breaking. “This is _Chuck_ that we're talking about! You remember, right? Chuck Bartowski?”

Bryce just turns away.

Neal stares at him for a few moments.

Neal purses his lips, jaw clenching, and expression furious.

“You _coward,_ ” Neal says through his gritted teeth before heading out the door.


	40. Peter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

Peter waited in the conference room after lunch. The team was all back and waiting.

For Neal.

Peter already checked his anklet and it said that he was still back at June's.

“He was supposed to be here half an hour ago,” one of the agents complained.

“I'll try to call him again,” Peter tells him. He tried earlier but Neal hadn't picked up.

Peter holds his phone up to his hear, hearing the rings.

“ _I'm busy right now-”_

Peter sighs and hangs up his phone. “I'm going after him,” Peter says in frustration.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Peter arrives at June's almost two hours after Neal left for lunch. He's welcomed into the house and he heads right up the stairs and into Neal's apartment.

“Neal?” Peter frowns when he sees the empty room. Peter stops, shutting the door behind him. He looks around the room before settling his eyes on the box that sat on the table. He approaches it and stares down at it for a moment. “Neal?” He calls out again.

When there was still nothing, he looked at the box. Peter frowns when he sees that the box is empty. He closes when he sees some writing.

Peter sighs and shakes his head when he sees the words “Bryce Larkin” on it. 

' _ Either Neal is Bryce or Bryce Larkin actually lives here. _ '

Peter sighs and dials a number into his phone. He holds it up. 

“Peter? Did you find him?”

“No,” he says in a slow voice.

“But the tracker says he's there.”

“There's no Neal or tracker to be seen anywhere,” Peter tells him as he's looking around to confirm it.

“So he ran,” Jones assumes.

“Neal wouldn't run,” Peter says, trying to convince both himself and Jones. “He has too much for him here.” ' _Me, El, Jones, Diana,_ ' he hesitated. ' _And his brother Bryce._ '

“Crap,” Peter curses in frustration.

“Peter?” Jones asks in confusion.

“I got to go,” Peter states. “Start looking for him.”

“But I thought you said he wouldn't run?”

“He might have.”

' _Because of course Neal found his brother, and of course they ran together,_ ' Peter thinks. Just thinking about Neal running made him feel weird. He thought that Neal liked them, or at least liked them enough to not run. ' _It's the most likely thing right now._ '

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is short. But know that the next chapter is exciting and that IT will finally be here.


	41. Bryce 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

Bryce, his back still facing the door, hears it slam closed. Bryce's face is emotionless as he focuses on nothing, just staring off into space. His arms were crossed.

Bryce waited there until he knew Neal wouldn't come back.

Bryce drops his arms, sticking his hand into his pocket as he goes into his closet. He takes the slip of paper out of his pocket as he opens up a secret apartment.

**478-xxxx *** Street**

-.-Two Fold-.-

_Bryce heard a knock sound on his apartment door. He frowns and pauses his game. The only people who knew of him were Neal, the landlady, and her servants. And Neal would just barge in, and the servants wouldn't go upstairs because that was for Neal and Bryce mostly. And the landlady, June, didn't normally come up to talk to him._

_He walks over to the door and opens it. “June?” Bryce asks._

“ _You have a package,” she says, holding up the brown box._

“ _Thank you,” he says hesitantly, grabbing it._

_Who would be sending him a package? Bryce assumed the worst._

“ _Judging by your hesitance, I assume you weren't expecting something.”_

“ _I wasn't,” Bryce says, tone serious. He notes that there wasn't an official seal, just his name hand written._

“ _It must be urgent,” she tells him in a cautious tone. She turns to leave and Bryce shuts the door._

_Bryce is staring at the box with suspicion, approaching the table to place it on the table. Bryce takes a knife from his kitchen and opens it up. He places the knife down next to the box. He sits down and takes the contents out. There were two pieces of paper and a camera._

_Bryce grabs the papers first and reads it._

_He tenses when he reads the first sentence, **“We've finally found you again Anderson,”** it said. _

_The letter was a threat._

_Bryce checks the camera._

_When Bryce turns on the camera, he instantly recognizes the man in the video. He was from a gang that he and Sarah had needed to infiltrate to get some information. That had been almost five years ago._

_And judging by what the man was saying, Bryce had a bad feeling._

_The video pans to the glass window in the background and-_

_His blood goes cold as he turns pale. He's frozen and he can't believe that he's seeing what he's seeing. His lips are parted and he's breathing heavily, feeling panic start to fill him. He can't think straight and he feels his eyes water._

“ _No,” he whispers, completely horrified. “That_ fucker. _”_

_Bryce checks Chuck._

_Bryce feels himself grow angrier, his fear and worry still lingering. He's breathing in and out to try and calm himself down. When it doesn't work, in a fit of anger, we swipes his hands, knocking the things off the table. When it still doesn't work, he swears aloud, hitting the table. Bryce stands up and starts to pace._

“ _Fuck,” he swears again, burying his head in his heads and clenches hard. He stops at his couch and collapses. “_ Chuck, _” he breathes out, voice shaking._

_Bryce can't stop the tears that fall._

_It had been a very long time since he had broken down._

_And now was_ not _a good time. Chuck was out there, in trouble because of some bastard and he was just there crying?_

_Bryce forces himself up and off the coach. He goes to the bathroom._

_When goes to wash his face, he just freezes.. Bryce watches his pained expression. He feels his anger come back. He throws a punch at his reflection._

“ _Damn it, Neal,” he says through his gritted teeth._

 _Bryce knows it was his fault. Bryce had been so careful, he had stayed away from Chuck no matter how badly he wanted to be with him. It had been Neal who was careless. He wasn't thinking. He was careless and gotten himself caught. Gotten_ Chuck _caught._

_If it hadn't been for Neal's carelessness, Chuck would still be safe._

-.-Two Fold-.-

After getting to the specified address, Bryce sees that he has arrived at yet another warehouse. He would have criticized their choices in places but he had more important things to worry about.

Bryce stares at the warehouse from a distance. He could see at least four people standing in front of the warehouse, and two snipers sitting on close buildings.

Bryce needed to figure out a plan to get Chuck out of there.

After inwardly debating on what to do, Bryce decided he couldn't. There was too much risk that Chuck could get hurt. He had to give himself up, no matter what they would do to him. Bryce knew that there was a high chance that Chuck wouldn't be let go, but he just couldn't risk it.

Bryce sighs as he stands up, giving into defeat. He's turning the corner to his inevitable death. Bryce raises his hands in the air.

Bryce is jolted to a stop before he could continue. He turns his head, ready to defend himself.

Bryce stops, seeing who was standing there. He tenses, swallowing hard as he forces himself to not show his emotions.

“Casey,” he breathes out, bringing his hands down as the other lets go.

“Larkin,” the man says firmly. “Last time I saw you, you were dead in the Intersect room.”

Bryce gives him a hard look. “I'd love to stay and chat,” he starts to say, voice firm and cold. “But I have something very important to do.”

Bryce is about to turn and leave but is stopped again. “Let _go,_ ” Bryce says low and hard.

“And let you foolishly kill yourself _and_ Chuck?” Casey grunts out a laugh. “I don't think so.”

Bryce notes that he called Chuck by his first name and not his last. ' _He changed,_ ' a passing thought.

“I don't know if you've noticed, but I was _severely_ out-numbered,” Bryce explains. “There was no way I would have been able to take them all down.”

Casey smirked, looking at him with thought. “Looks like your little vacation softened you up,” he nods to one of the buildings. “Look up there.”

Bryce figures he means the roof where a sniper was at. Bryce sees-

“Morgan?” Bryce says with doubt and hesitance, looking back at Casey. “Chuck's best friend, Morgan?”

“He's been trained,” Casey says. “He's not nearly as bad as you would think.”

Bryce checks the people who had been guarding the warehouse. They were all down. Bryce sees Sarah nearby. He looks back at Casey. “What's your plan?” Bryce asks, giving in.

Casey smirks, “Knew you'd see it my way.” Casey steps aside and walks out into the open. “I found a stray,” he told Sarah.

Bryce sighs when it goes quiet. He knows that Casey expects him to step out.

Bryce steps out from behind the wall. He didn't care that he'd be revealing his location and that he wasn't dead. They already knew he was alive.

And it was for Chuck. He needed to do this for Chuck.

Sarah stares at him disbelief. “You really are alive,” she mutters as she stares at him. “Where have you _been_ all this time.”

Bryce just stares at them with a firm expression. Casey was just crossing his arms as he stared him down. Sarah still with the disbelief. And Morgan running over before stopping and bending over, panting heavily. After he catches his breath, he straightens up.

“The gang's all here!” He exclaims. “Well, almost. But how about we go get Chuck?”

“I for one, agree,” Bryce says. “We can talk later. So, are you going to tell me your plan now?”

-.-Two Fold-.-

After getting into place, Bryce waited for Casey's signal as he would be the one going in first.

“Ready?” Casey asks through the inter-com.

The three had one and passed an extra one to Bryce so he'd be able to hear them.

“Ready,” Sarah and Bryce confirm.

“Grimes?”

“Door systems are unlocked,” Morgan states. “And we are ready to go.”

“You all remember what we're doing, right?”

“Yes,” Morgan tells him. “And I also won't forget to hack into the place Chuck is held in.”

“On three,” Casey says.

From where Bryce is standing, he could see Casey approaching the door. Bryce and Sarah and been appointed to get into the warehouse quietly, while Casey went through the front door as the distraction. He'd have to get the door open and hopefully get the attention off from Sarah and Bryce. Morgan would have to linger a bit before getting inside so he could go get Chuck with Bryce as back up for him.

“One”

“Two”

“Three,” Casey finished, slamming the door open.

Bryce propped up the sniper rifle and shot at the people inside. From where he was at, he couldn't see Chuck. Bryce kept at it until he heard Morgan telling them that he's going in. Bryce dropped the rifle and started down the building to get inside and on the ground. He saw Casey gunned down the others and Sarah sniping them from afar.

Bryce caught up to Morgan, keeping an eye out for the both of them.

Bryce shot any that aimed at them or got in their way.

So far, it went well.

That is, until they came across the room at the end of the hallway. Bryce broke down the doorknob, slamming the door open. His guns was pointed at the lone occupant in the room.

There standing in the room, acting without a care in the world, was the man he saw on the tape.

“Too late Bryce,” he said with a smirk. “They already know.”

Bryce shot at him, seeing him drop to the ground. His eyes dart to behind him, seeing a dark fog fill the room Chuck was held in.

“Chuck,” he whispered, horrified.

“Chuck!” Morgan shouted, running to the iron door that was the barricade between them and Chuck. He slammed the door with his hands. “Chuck!”

Bryce darted to the electronics set up that had hooked up to the door. “Can you hack this?” Bryce shouted to Morgan, attempting to figure it out.

Morgan glanced back. “Let me see,” he says, running over to join Bryce. “Maybe,” he mutters. “I think I've seen this before.”

Bryce doesn't question him, just glancing up at Chuck. He was still breathing but was currently knocked out.

Hours seemed to have passed as Morgan hacked it. When it opened, Bryce immediately darted for the door.

“Stay there!” Bryce shouted to Morgan when he started to move.

Bryce held his breath, rushing to Chuck. He sees that he's tied up and grabs his knife from his leg. He cuts Chuck free. Bryce wraps his arms around Chuck's torso, lifting him and pulling him against his own body. Bryce makes sure he has a tight grip around Chuck as he rushes out of the room.

Chuck needed to get fresh air.

“Close the door,” Bryce yells as he carefully sets down Chuck.

Bryce kneels down next to him, bringing Chuck down in his lap. Bryce stares down at Chuck with worry, hands cradling Chuck's head. “Chuck?” He spoke, worry ad fear dripping his voice.

“Chuck! Buddy?” Morgan exclaims, sliding down next to Bryce.

Bryce almost breaks down when he sees Chuck open his eyes, but just barely. Bryce smiles as Chuck, glad for him to be okay.

“Neal?” Chuck mumbles.

Bryce shakes his head, “He's not here.”

Chuck looks right at Bryce. He gives a weak smile, hardly able to have any strength. “Bryce,” he says sleepily, tone happy. “You're finally here.”

Chuck nods off, eyes closing.

Bryce smiles down at Chuck. He wasn't worried one bit, at least not at that moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally done with this chapter! Sorry this took long, school was getting in the way.


	42. Neal 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

“And exactly _who_ is Chuck?”

Neal had told Mozzie about his current predicament, that he needed to get Chuck back from his kidnappers.

“I'll tell you later,” Neal tells Mozzie. “Right now, we have to find him.”

“I'm not a miracle worker, Neal,” Mozzie says irritably. “I need at least _some_ details to look for someone, you now.”

Neal says. He takes out the paper and the camera that had been left in the box. He shoves them into Mozzie's hands. “Here, is this enough?”

Mozzie looked at the paper and camera with careful observation. “Hmm,” he says thoughtfully.

“Will you hurry already?” Neal says with desperation. “We don't have time.”

“This takes time, _Neal,_ ” Mozzie tells him. After skimming the letter, he turns the camera on. “Judging by the background,” he says, mot paying attention to what he was saying. “I'd say a warehouse. The material implies by the water.” Mozzie turns the camera off, handing it back. “ _Now_ will you tell me what this is about?”

“You mean you didn't pay attention?” Neal asks, looking around to see what way was the fastest to get to the waterside.

“How can I when you're _breathing_ down my neck?” Mozzie rolls his eyes.

“Mozzie,” Neal says seriously, looking back at him. “There's _miles_ of waterside in New York, we need to narrow it down.”

“It's a bit of a stretch,” he says unsurely. “But only certain warehouses are tricked out like that. Specifically in the 478 area.”

“Then what are we waiting for, let's go,” Neal says, rushing over to the sidewalk to flag down a cab.

“But _Neal,_ ” Mozzie calls out, rushing to join him. “There's still a _lot_ of places to look in that area. Even so, it might not guarantee that this Chuck guy is there.”

“Then we better get going.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

It had turned out, Neal and Mozzie didn't have to look too much. By the time they got to the areas, Mozzie ended up stumbling across some unconscious people.

Neal told him to split up to cover more ground a lot faster. Then Mozzie ended up shouting to Neal that he found it. Well, it was bird calls but he still signaled to Neal.

“Did you find it?” Neal called out after running over to where Mozzie is.

“I could be wrong, but all the bodies tell me otherwise,” Mozzie says blankly as he stares at Neal.

Neal stares around. Could it be just a coincidence?

“Oh, and the open doors to the warehouse tells me someone is here,” Mozzie finishes.

It's not a coincidence.

“Chuck,” Neal mumbles with worry. Neal leaves Mozzie behind, blindly running to go after whoever was inside.

“Neal!” Mozzie shouts before attempting to catch up to him.

Neal doesn't stop. He runs into the warehouse. He sees that the people inside were knocked out too. When he spots a hallway, Neal runs to it, assuming that's where it is.

There's an open door at the end and he picks up speed. He bursts inside, feeling the air thicken. It makes him a little light-headed but he forces himself upright.

The five occupants are still huddled together, not paying him any attention.

Neal doesn't recognize three of them, but the other two, he does.

Neal approaches them, fearing the worst.

“Chuck,” he breathes out, seeing him unconscious and laying in Bryce's lap.

 _Bryce._ His brother. The same guy who refused to help. “He's fine Neal,” Bryce mumbles, not looking up from Chuck. He still cradled him gently, arms wrapped around Chuck so he's leaning against him. “He's just sleeping.”

This seemed to have gained the other three's attentions. There's a moment of confusion but they look back at Chuck in worry.

“What happened?” Neal asks softly, approaching Bryce' side.

“He's not physically hurt,” Bryce explains. “But they released some type of gas and he inhaled it.”

“Then we should go get him checked out,” Neal suggests. “Bring him to a hospital.”

Mozzie runs in right after, panting heavily. “I said _wait,_ ” he barely manages to say it, completely out of breath.

Attention is now on Mozzie.

Mozzie goes silent at the attention. He scans the room and spots Bryce and Chuck. He seems surprised but when his eyes focus on Chuck, it goes serious. “I'm assuming that's Chuck.”

Neal nods.

“Is he-” Mozzie trails off, tone grim.

“He's just asleep,” Neal informs him.

“Enough chit chat,” the big, intimidating guy says seriously. “We need to get going.”

-.-Two Fold-.-

After getting to the hospital, Mozzie said his greetings and went off by himself. And the other two - whom had introduced themselves as Sarah and Casey - Bryce and Chuck went with stayed by the door, allowing Bryce and Neal to have their time with Chuck.

“I thought you hadn't cared,” Neal mutters, sitting in a seat next to Bryce. They both had pulled up a chair and placed it next to Chuck's bed, who was still asleep. “You told me that you were in love with him and you hadn't reacted at all.” Neal pauses, expecting an answer from him. He continues. “What was I supposed to think?”

Neal looks over at Bryce who was still silent. Bryce was staring intensely at Chuck, a worried and slightly upset expression on his face. Neal knew that Bryce was extremely worried to the point of him not bothering to hide his emotions. Bryce still hid his emotions from Neal.

“Bryce?” Neal attempts to gain his attention.

After a few minutes, Bryce speaks. “Don't think everything is all fine between us,” he says in a low, a hard voice.

Neal stares at him with confusion, scrunching up his face. “What?”

“I _told_ you to stay away from Chuck,” Bryce stares at Neal, a hard expression on his face. “But you _didn't._ ”

Neal narrows his eyes slightly. “Are you blaming this on me?”

“They wouldn't have known about Chuck otherwise,” Bryce continues. “If you had stayed away from Chuck-”

“Which I _did,_ ” Neal fights back. “You told me stay away, and I _did._ How was I supposed to know that they'd go after him?”

“There was a reason why I stayed away-”

“And you _told_ me why!” Neal exclaims.

“You should have pieced together why I-”

“Bryce.”

They both stop and look down at the man in the bed.

“Chuck,” they say simultaneously, tone with worry.

But Chuck focuses on Bryce. His eyes only partially open, seeming as if he hardly had any energy.

“I'll leave you two alone,” Neal mutters, standing up. He wants to stay and make sure Chuck is okay, but they had a lot to talk about.

Neal walks out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Casey and Sarah look up at him in surprise. “They need some alone time,” Neal mutters.

“He's awake,” Sarah says in relief.

He nods.

“Neal.”

Neal looks up to see Peter standing before him, arms crossed. “Peter,” he mumbles.

“Can I talk to you?” He says softly. “Privately?”

Neal nods, staying silent and just follows him down the hall.

Peter stops and sighs before turning around. Judging by the look on his face, Neal could tell that he's upset.

“Peter?”

“I thought you ran,” he says firmly, tone with grief.

Neal looked at him with a confused and hurt look. “You thought I ran?”

“What was I supposed to think?” He says it in a defeated tone. “You just found your brother-”

Neal winces. ' _So he found out about Bryce._ '

“And you didn't show up,” Peter stops. “I thought that you ran with him.”

Neal stared at him with a hurt look. “How could you think I would run? I have to much for me here.”

“I thought that too,” Peter commented.

“Peter,” Neal says a little more firmly. “I wouldn't run. What I have with you, El, Mozzie, June,” he paused. “It's better than I have ever had before. Yes, I have Bryce again, but we always kept in contact, we always will. But I don't want to lose any of you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm seriously lacking, I'm sorry. But I'm getting extremely busy with school. Although, the story is coming to a close and I'll try to get it done ASAP.


	43. Bryce 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

“ _There was a reason why I stayed away-”_

“ _And you_ told _me why!” Neal exclaims._

“ _You should have pieced together why I-”_

“ _Bryce.”_

_They both stop and look down at the man in the bed._

“ _Chuck,” they say simultaneously, tone with worry._

_But Chuck focuses on Bryce. His eyes only partially open, seeming as if he hardly had any energy._

“ _I'll leave you two alone,” Neal mutters, standing up to leave the room._

Bryce was leaning over in his chair, hand resting beside Chuck. “How do you feel?”

Chuck was still staring at Bryce with a tired look. “Like I inhaled gas,” he said with a half smile.

Bryce forced himself not to smile. “Don't make me laugh Chuck, you're hurt.”

Chuck kept smiling like everything was normal. As if he _wasn't_ in the hospital because he was hurt. It was just like him to keep everyone else happy no matter what condition he was in.

“Anything to keep you from worrying yourself into a grave.”

“You're in the _hospital,_ ” Bryce emphasizes. “I can worry all I want. Tell me you wouldn't do the same if you were in my position.”

“I have been in your position.”

Bryce flinches when he hears Chuck say that.

“I have been twice.”

It was true. Bryce had made Chuck suffer twice by making him think he was dead. While he had no choice for both, he still had hurt Chuck. He never really liked hurting Chuck, but Bryce preferred protecting him over not hurting his feelings.

“Chuck I-”

“I know why you did it,” Chuck interrupts. “It was to protect me.”

Bryce says nothing, swallowing nervously as he stared at Chuck with worry.

“But I'm fine,” Chuck says. “I have Casey and Sarah to protect. Hopefully you too.”

“Chuck,” Bryce whispers. He knows what Chuck is implying. The other wants him to go back with him. “I'm sorry,” he tells him. “But I can't.”

Chuck's expression falls. “What?” His voice sounds weak and hurt. “What do you-”

Bryce stands up, brushing his hand against Chuck's cheek and neck. He lets his hand linger for a moment. “I can't do what you want,” he removes his hand from Chuck. “I'm sorry Chuck but it's better this way.”

As Bryce is stepping away, he could see Chuck's eyes grow wide, panic and desperation filling his expression. His lips are parted as if he wants to say something.

Bryce forces himself to turn away from him no matter how much it hurts him to. Bryce has to do it, he can't allow this to happen again.

“No, please,” Bryce could hear Chuck cry out desperately.

Bryce could hear Chuck's tears.

“Bryce, please don't leave me.”

Bryce keeps quiet. He falters in his steps but keeps going.

“Bryce,” Chuck chokes out, hardly able to speak through his tears. “I LOVE YOU!”

Bryce freezes. ' _What?_ '

“I love you, Bryce,” Chuck says more softly, still filled with emotion. “I read your letter so I know you love me too.”

It's what Bryce always wanted to hear. For a decade, Bryce wanted Chuck to return his feelings, he pined for him for a long time. Never had Bryce thought that Chuck would actually like him back.

“Bryce, please.”

Bryce can't get himself to move. Was it to move away or toward Chuck? Bryce doesn't know.

“Bryce, I love you,” Chuck repeats desperately. “Please don't leave me again.”

Bryce didn't know what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short, I know. But lately, I'm not really feel in the mood for writing or doing anything in general. Let me know if there are any grammatical errors.


	44. Neal 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

“Are they still in there?” Neal takes a seat next to Sarah whom had been waiting with Casey outside of Chuck's room.

“Your brother and your friend?” Peter sits down next to him.

“Yeah,” Sarah says softly, nodding her head. She kept her eyes on the door, Casey remained silent. “Bryce seemed like he was going to leave awhile ago but he stayed in there.”

Neal frowned. ' _Bryce? Leaving? Why would he? He has no reason to,_ Chuck's _in there._ '

“He better not be thinking about bailing on Chuck,” Neal says in firm tone.

“Not if I can help it,” Casey replies.

“I don't think he would,” Sarah says honestly.

But Neal knows Bryce and that does not reassure him one bit.

“Chuck knows Bryce loves him, he's not going to let him leave.”

“Then you clearly don't know Bryce,” Neal looks at her.

She and Casey look at him, frowning. Casey crosses his arms at him. They looked at him with doubt. Despite Neal being Bryce's brother, they seem to think that he doesn't know what he's talking about. Which Neal thinks is irrational.

“Should I go check up on them?” Neal suggests.

“You said not to disturb them,” Sarah says in a confused tone.

Neal stands up, earning a sigh of disapproval. “I said to give them some time,” he approaches the door.

Neal turns the door knob, swinging the door open. He stops the door before it could make a sound. Neal bites back a smile but fails badly. He closes the door partially, leaving it cracked open.

Bryce and Chuck were kissing. Bryce had sat next to Chuck, leaning down to meet him. He had his right hand on Chuck's cheek, his other around his shoulders. Chuck had his hand resting on Bryce's chest and waist.

Neal backs away, quietly closing the door. He turns around, still smiling. “I don't think we have anything to worry about.”

“Why?” Sarah asks as Neal takes his seat.

Neal says nothing and just smiled. Neal was glad that Bryce finally allowed himself some happiness despite what he told Neal earlier. Maybe it was time for Neal to allow himself some.

“Hey, Peter?” Neal asks, turning to him. “Are we doing anything Friday night?”

“Depends if we have case, why?”

Neal just beamed at him.


	45. Bryce 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

Chuck had fallen asleep awhile ago, but Bryce still stayed there. He was sat next to Chuck's bed in one of the chairs. It was just them two for the longest time. After Neal had left them alone, aside from nurses, no one else had come in.

Bryce stood up, tucking a notepad right next to Chuck. He smiles softly as he's brushing a hand through Chuck's hair. He rests his hand on Chuck's cheek and leans down. He presses a kiss against his lips for moment. He steps away.

Bryce needed to go but he didn't want to wake Chuck. He exits the room, ensuring that closing the door hardly made a sound. He looks up and sees Neal sitting in the waiting room.

“Neal?” Bryce asks out of confusion. “Why are you still here?”

“I wanted to wait for you,” Neal explains, standing up. “I kind of expected you to stay here with Chuck all night.”

“So you waited for me?” That made no sense. If Neal waited for him and expected him to stay with Chuck, then Neal had been willing to stay there all night. “Where's Casey and Sarah?”

“They stepped out to get dinner awhile ago, they should be back soon with Morgan.”

“Good,” Bryce says, turning away. “I wouldn't want Chuck to be by himself for too long.” Bryce starts down the hallway. “It's getting late,” he hears Neal follow him. “I need to get back.”

“I'll miss you Bryce,” Neal states.

Bryce raises an eyebrow, glancing over at Neal for a moment. “I live in the next room Neal, I'm not that far away.”

Neal scoffed. “I mean when you go with Chuck,” Neal explains. “I know that you and Chuck finally have each other again but it was nice seeing you everyday.” Bryce stays silent, he doesn't know what to say. “But hey, good for you Bryce!” He says cheerfully. “I actually thought that you'd stay away from Chuck.”

“I won't be going to California,” Bryce tells him softly.

“So Chuck's staying here in New York?” Neal asks in a confused tone.

Bryce sighs. Neal was never oblivious before. He stops and faces Neal. “Chuck's not staying in New York,” he says firmly, hoping Neal would get it.

“A long distance relationship?” Neal tilts his head in confusion, frowning.

“Chuck and I aren't together,” Bryce says bluntly.

Neal stared at him, straightening up. He's still frowning at him but no longer in confusion. “Bryce,” he demands harshly. “You don't mean that.”

“I do Neal,” Bryce replies without hesitation.

“Then what about that kiss!” He demands. “I saw you to kiss when I left you alone with him. That's the whole point of me leaving you two alone!”

“That was a _goodbye_ kiss, Neal,” Bryce replies harshly. “I'm leaving New York.”

“A “goodbye ki-”” Neal exclaims in disbelief. “Does Chuck know that?”

“No, he doesn't,” Bryce says. He continues before Neal could speak. “But I left him a letter.”

“A letter?” He asks in disbelief. “A _letter?_ ”

“Chuck already has a lot of problems to worry about, me being around him will only make it worse,” Bryce turns away, walking off. He had to do this. No matter how much it hurt, and it hurt _a lot,_ but he needed to ensure Chuck's safety. He's done it before and he'll do it again.

“So you'll leave? Just like that?” Neal runs after him.

“I'll be going somewhere where Chuck, the agencies, Casey and Sarah, where no one at all can find me,” Bryce tells him. “Not even where you and your FBI agents or even Mozzie can find me.”

“How do you think Chuck is going to feel?” Neal attempts to make Bryce change his mind, but it's not going to work. “Waking up in that room alone, when he expects you there with him?”

“You're not going to make me change me mind Neal,” Bryce says firmly. “Just stop trying to convince me.”

Neal goes silent. Bryce assumes that he's glaring at him in disbelief and anger.

“I'll come and visit,” Bryce says, wanting to relieve the tension between the two of them. “Just like before, two times every year. Maybe more.”

“Bryce,” Neal says firmly.

Bryce stops and looks back at Neal. He was staring at him with a hard expression.

“You're an _idiot,_ ” Neal says angrily. “Don't bother visiting if you're just going to leave Chuck behind like that.”

Bryce knows that Neal doesn't mean it. It's just him trying to convince Bryce to change his mind.

“Then I guess won't be visiting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't really think that I would just forget about chapter 25 did you?


	46. Chuck 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In Chuck!verse: Season 4. And in White Collar!verse: post season 1. Chyce and Neal/Peter/El endgame. Neal/Peter/El will be more of a side though, and implied, it will focus more on the Neal/Peter aspect.

Chuck shifted in the hospital bed. He could already feel the warmth of the sun shining down into his room. His nose twitched and he squeezed his eyes tightly, the light being a bit too bright at the moment. He slowly blinks his eyes open. He lets out a yawn and stretches.

Chuck sits up. He feels something hard against his side, right before he turns to face to the left. He scoots over and picks up the notepad. He looks over to the chairs with a smile, expecting Bryce to be sitting there.

Chuck frowns when he sees an empty seat. “Bryce?” He mutters sadly. Where had he gone? Was he in the bathroom? Was he out getting something to eat? Had he stepped out for a moment?

Chuck brings the notepad to his face, scanning it. His heart almost breaks when he sees its contents.

_**Chuck,** _

_**I'm sorry but I just can't stay. It hurts me to have to do this. I still feel that it's better this way. You know I always want the best for you, that I always want to protect you. Trust me Chuck, me doing this will be better for you.** _

_**Bryce** _

_**PS Remember that I still do love you.** _

Chuck choked out a sob. ' _He promised me that he'd stay,_ ' Chuck thought to himself. He buried his face into his hands, letting tears stream down his cheeks.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Chuck curled up on his side, buried under the blanket.

Chuck had stopped crying long ago. Not from being able to move on, but from crying too much.

No one else had walked in the whole time Chuck had cried. He had been left alone the whole time. But all he could think about is how much he wanted Bryce back.

“Chuck,” a woman's voice sounded.

It was Sarah.

“How are you feeling?” She asks gently, taking a seat in the chair.

Chuck felt absolutely terrible. He just felt like hiding away from the world. He flips over to face away from her. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He just wasn't in the mood.

“Casey, Morgan, and Neal are out looking for him,” she replies after a few minutes of silence. “They'll find him Chuck.”

Chuck sighs. ' _They won't,_ ' he thinks to himself sadly. ' _It's Bryce._ ' He feels a hand on his shoulder, attempting to reassure him. “They're not going to find him,” he mumbles solemnly.

“Chuck-” she starts in a soft tone.

Chuck knows that she's just going to try and keep reassuring him. _Anything_ to cheer up Chuck. But only Bryce being back with him will cheer him up.

“I appreciate the concern but it's not going to work,” he mutters back.

After several tries of trying to cheer up Chuck, Sarah gives up.

-.-Two Fold-.-

The next day, they find nothing. Neither hide nor hair of Bryce Larkin. It's as expected. Chuck knows they won't find Bryce. If he doesn't want to be found, then he won't be found.

-.-Two Fold-.-

A week passes and the doctor tells him that he could be release in a few days.

Casey and Morgan still don't find anything. Neal tells him that he can't wait in Bryce's apartment any longer and has to go back to work; the day after that, the pictures and model Neal had been guarding is gone.

So is all hopes of finding Bryce.

-.-Two Fold-.-

Few days later, he's released.

Chuck doesn't know why they keep trying, they have to go back to Burbank in two days.

-.-Two Fold-.-

“It was nice meeting you,” Neal greeted Chuck at the airport the day they're supposed to go back to Burbank.

“I wish we met under better circumstances,” Chuck pointed out.

“Come visit sometime okay? I would but,” he pauses, motioning to the tracking anklet. “I still don't know how I convinced Peter to let me see you off.”

“I'll try to get some time off and visit.”

Neal gave Chuck a hug. “See you later Chuck.”

Chuck grabbed his bags that he had set down. “Bye Neal.” He turns away from him, following after Morgan, Sarah, and Casey.

“Sorry about my brother” is what Chuck hears before he enters the airport security gates.

Chuck lets out a shaky breath. ' _I'm sorry too._ '


	47. Question thingy

Now that I look back on it, I realize that the ending was very unsatisfying. And I'd be willing to give it an alternate ending or make a sequel if enough people comment that they want one.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is Hernando-Hale if you wanted to say something.  
> Criticism is welcome.


End file.
